Ethical Conflicts
by kymbersmith90
Summary: Not all decisions can be seen as black and white. But living in the grey area isn't always as easy as it sounds. Student/Teacher AU.
1. Prologue

**I'm posting the prologue of something new I've been working on here, because there's so much of it banked right now.**

 **This does not mean I've given up on Fairytales. Quite the opposite. I have a lot banked for that story - I'm just not happy with the current chapter flow. But it's been growing and growing every day. So, while that has been torturing me (and Patience is fully written) this is what I've been doing to keep myself busy, and the writing flowing.**

 **Special thanks on this one go to Kates89, resident-of-storybrooke and** **xninafun for their help, advice and cheerleading during this process.**

 **I'd love to know what you think, and if you'd like to see more of it.**

* * *

"Come on, Emma. I wanna get a good seat."

Emma sighed as she picked up the pace a little, to follow after Ruby. She had to confess, she was a little excited to finally get her chance to meet the legendary professor on campus, but not excited enough to run at the speed her friend was travelling.

There was nothing in the world that would make Emma _that_ excited.

They weren't the first to make it to their lecture hall, but she had expected that. The room was already full of most of their female peers, all packing the front few rows, in anticipation of the class ahead of them.

Emma was willing to bet the entire female population of the law school had heard about the legendary professor they were finally getting the chance to meet. She'd heard about him during her first week on campus, so she assumed the others had too. There were whispers of a young protégé from Ireland, who often picked up classes when their professors were busy with other projects. The rumors had described him as not only a genius in law, but also the sexiest man in academia.

Emma hadn't believed them when she'd first heard them.

She certainly didn't believe them in her second year, after never having so much as heard of the guy teaching on campus, during her entire time at the school.

Until last week.

She'd been sat with Ruby, in their usual seats, taking notes on defenses for a charge of homicide, when their professor had drawn the lecture to an early end. "Next week, I will be at a conference in Chicago," he'd began, and the whispers had soon followed, as the class made their plans for what they assumed would be an early end to their day. "However," he continued loudly, to grab their attention once more, "However… that doesn't mean that this class will be neglected. I am well aware that you all have exams coming up, so I wouldn't want you to sacrifice precious hours of study, just because I'm away. I've asked a friend of mine to come and deliver a lecture for you. I trust you'll show Dr. Jones the same levels of respect that you've shown myself."

The name 'Dr. Jones,' had the entire class whispering amongst themselves once more.

It couldn't possibly be _that_ Dr. Jones, could it?

The one they'd all been told about.

The one they'd heard stories about, throughout their time at school.

The one ninety-percent of the class were sure was just a myth.

While Professor Midas hadn't given them any more details, that hadn't stopped the excitement and anticipation from growing, amongst the student body.

"Hey, isn't that Lilly?" Ruby whispered, as she took a seat right in the center of the room. It was three rows away from where they usually sat, at the very end of the row. But it gave them a perfect view of the front of the hall.

"Since when did Lilly start studying law?" Emma asked, as she pulled out her laptop, ready to take notes.

"She doesn't," Ruby scoffed. "She's probably just here to check out the hot professor."

"He's a doctor," Emma sighed. "And for all we know, that rumor is just that – a rumor. If he's friends with Midas he's probably a fifty-year old guy who's balding, with bad breath. _He_ could even be a _she_ ," she added, as an afterthought.

Ruby shot her friend a look that showed her pain at the idea of the legendary professor not being what he was described to be, and Emma chuckled behind her screen.

It wasn't that she was against the idea of a hot professor. She'd seen those porn movies before. The idea was somewhat appealing to her. She just didn't really care either way what their guest lecturer looked like. All she cared about was acing those exams, so that when she graduated, she could get an associate's position at a decent law firm.

"I'm sure he's not," Emma soothed, "I'm just saying that you should prepare yourself for the worst. That way, you're not gonna be disappointed."

"I'm already disappointed," Ruby huffed, as she started pulling out her own laptop, to take notes with.

The rest of the room began to slowly fill, as the clock on the wall ticked ever closer to the hour, and the start of their lecture. Emma wasn't surprised to find that it was predominantly her male peers that were the last ones to fill the remaining seats. They clearly weren't as excited by the idea of a legendary hot professor, as their female classmates were.

"Lilly looks like she's gonna start drooling any minute now," Ruby chuckled, as she nudged her friend gently. Emma's eyes flicked over to the other woman, and away again quickly.

There had been a time, a few years back, when Emma would have classed Lilly as one of her closest friends. But, that bridge had been burned long ago, and now, all she felt was a mild indifference towards her former-friend.

"I'm sure she'll find the lecture riveting," she mumbled, as she used her free time to read through the notes she'd made the week before. The lecture should pick up where Midas had left off, and Emma had been too busy working on a Human Rights paper, due that morning, to have reviewed them between the two classes, as she usually did.

"Oh, come on, Ems," Ruby chided. "Even if this guy does turn out to be an old, balding, boring dude, _at least_ we can say we met the legend that was Dr. Jones. How many other people in this department can say that?"

"I guess," she agreed reluctantly. "Oh God… you're gonna want a selfie to document this occasion, aren't you?"

Ruby was already pulling out her phone to take the picture, before Emma had finished speaking.

It was only when her friend moved to push her phone back into her pocket, and Emma turned her attention back to her screen, that she realized the entire room had gone eerily silent.

She pulled the display towards her a little, to get a better look at the cause of the silence, and when she did, her jaw dropped in amazement.

The man now stood behind the small desk, in the front corner of the room, could only be their guest lecturer. He was busy fiddling with his own laptop, plugging everything in, in order to deliver his address that afternoon. But even with only the top of his head, and the flat of his back, visible, Emma could tell that the rumors about Dr. Jones hadn't done him justice at all.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Thank you for the wonderful response to this new story. I'm completely blown away by it all.**

 **Biggest thanks go to Kates89, xninafun and resident-of-storybrooke, who not only make this work better, but are also the best friends a girl could ask for, in this fandom.**

* * *

"Holy shit he's pretty," Ruby sighed.

She'd been trying to get her friend's attention for twenty-seconds, and when Emma remained completely oblivious to the attempts, Ruby had followed her eyes to see what had caught them.

Which just happened to be the moment Dr. Jones had straightened up, ready to start his lecture.

Emma may have whimpered a little, when he did.

"Good afternoon," Dr. Jones greeted, his voice carrying easily throughout the room, without the need to resorting to shouting. "I'm sure Professor Midas explained to you that he was away for a conference this week, and that he's asked me to step in, so you don't miss out on valuable learning time." There was a murmur of agreement around the room, before Jones clicked the small button in his hand, and the digital screen behind him flicked to life. "However, I'm not sure if my colleague would have informed you that I specialize in legal ethics, so instead of your usually planned lecture, you're getting mine." The murmurs in the room turned to a series of groans, at the sudden change in topic.

Ethics was a universally disliked field of study, and for good reason. It was often the most boring part of the course, and its importance was always highlighted, every time it came around.

But it didn't bother Emma. She knew that to be a good lawyer, she had to learn it all, and not just the fun parts (like some of her peers seemed to think). The only thing that annoyed her was her lack of preparation for the afternoon. She hadn't had the time to review her notes from last week, let alone read up on a completely different area of the law, that she hadn't touched upon in months.

The groans didn't seem to faze Jones either, as he gave the students just long enough to slide away their unneeded textbooks, and open a new document, before he launched into his lecture.

For such a dry subject, Emma was surprised to find she actually enjoyed Jones's lecture. He'd prepared the material in such a way that he was not only refreshing the students on what they had been taught throughout the previous years of their study, but delivering new material in an interactive and fun manner, to help it stick. Emma found that far more of the information was sinking in than it ever had before, when their normal ethics tutor, Mrs. West, delivered her lectures. It made the ninety-minutes she spent in the room completely fly by, so she was a little startled when Jones began drawing the lecture to a close. Especially when she looked down to find her laptop sleeping, and not a single note on the subject in sight.

"You okay?" Ruby whispered, having noticed the same thing. Her friend was usually a meticulous note taker.

Having grown up with nothing, Emma had learned fairly quickly that education could be her best way out of things. She had studied hard, earning herself a scholarship to one of the best schools in the country. And she'd studied even harder while there, determined to win herself another scholarship to law school. With no parents to turn to for help, she'd wanted to try and minimize her student debts, as much as possible.

When they'd first met, Ruby had come to understand Emma's levels of dedication fairly quickly. It was why they had clicked so easily. While Ruby might enjoy a good night out every Friday evening, during the week, she never pressured her friend to leave her desk, if she was busy studying.

It was more than Emma could say of other so-called friends she'd had, in the past.

"Um, yeah," she replied, a little shocked by her own lack of notes. "I guess I just really got into that lecture. You didn't happen to record it, did you?"

"Of course," Ruby chuckled. Her own note taking method was sporadic, but she always recorded the lectures to listen to, when commuting. It was her own way of making sure the material stuck.

"Do you think I could get a copy of it?"

"For the material, or to drool over that accent?" Ruby teased. When Emma's face flushed bright red, her friend nudged her gently, before she assured her, "Of course you can, Ems. Lord knows you've loaned me enough of your notes over the years."

"Thanks Ruby."

Emma waited until most of the class had filed out of the room, before she stood to make her own way down the auditorium. It was only when her feet hit the floor that she made the impulsive decision to head over to the small desk in the corner, rather than the open door. "I'll be out in a minute," she told her friend. She didn't wait to see the concerned look she knew would be working its way on to Ruby's face, instead, she took a deep breath in to steel her nerves, before continuing over.

"Um, Dr. Jones?" she called out softly.

The older man had his full attention on his laptop, but briefly pulled his eyes away to mutter, "Yes?" before flicking them back down to his screen. And then up to focus on Emma's face. He pulled the laptop's lid down, to offer her his full attention, before asking, "How can I help you?"

"I um… I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your lecture," Emma praised. "I normally take really detailed notes during class, and I guess I just got so engrossed in yours that I didn't type a single word."

"I hope that's a good thing," he chuckled. When Emma nodded her head, he looked around at the empty room, before dropping his voice to a whisper to add, "Don't tell anyone this, but when I was studying law, I couldn't stand ethics. I used to skip the lectures, they were _that_ boring." At the shocked look on Emma's face he continued, "I was gonna fail that class until one of my other tutors pulled me aside, to try and talk some sense into me. I told him about how I found the subject so dull, and he said he was gonna make it his mission to get me a pass in that class. It took a few weeks but, eventually, he sent me this essay by this little known ethics professor, that he'd somehow stumbled over. That was all it took to have me hooked. He'd made the subject fun, and I found that what I was reading, I was enjoying. So, it stuck. Since then, I've tried to style all my classes the same way."

"That's incredible," she replied, amazed that Dr. Jones had felt so comfortable sharing his past with her. "Who's the professor, if you don't mind me asking? I have to admit, ethics is probably my worst subject, so maybe I should look him up, if he inspired you so much?"

"Professor Winters," he told her. "He worked out of Stanford, a couple of decades back. If you'd like, I can send you some of his papers to have a read through?"

"Oh, that would be brilliant. Thank you." Emma couldn't control the smile that worked itself across her face, at the offer. If Professor Winters had helped inspire Dr. Jones to deliver the kind of lecture he had that afternoon, then she knew he'd definitely help to inspire her to do better, when it came to her finals.

Dr. Jones searched around on the desk for a moment, until he came across a piece of scrap paper, and a pen. "If you let me have your email address, I'll get those sent over for you."

Emma copied out her personal email address as carefully as she could, making sure that Jones wouldn't get it wrong, before she slid the piece of paper back over the desk for him.

"Thank you, Dr. Jones."

Jones looked down at the elegant handwriting on the paper, before he picked it up and tucked it safely into his pocket. "Thank you, Emma Swan. I'm glad you enjoyed the lecture."

He held out his hand for her to shake, and Emma tried to quickly wipe her palm on the back of her jeans, without drawing attention to her actions, before she slipped it into his own. "It was lovely to meet you today," he smiled down at her, before he let go of her hand, picked up his laptop, and left the room.

Emma was still stood staring at the door he'd disappeared through, when Ruby finally got fed up of waiting, and came back to find her friend.

* * *

 **I apologise if I missed something obvious with this update. My husband gave me his Man-Flu, and things are a little woozy right now. I just didn't want to let you all down by not posting this update after promising it today.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 2

**As ever, my thanks for this piece go to Kates89, Xninafun and resident-of-storybrooke who love the recurring cat videos joke I've used here.**

* * *

It had been three weeks since Dr. Jones's lecture on ethics, and Emma had settled back into her usual school routine. Professor Midas had returned to deliver the last of his lectures on the offence of homicide, and slowly the students of the department had moved on from discussing the legendary professor that they'd finally had the opportunity to meet.

All except Emma.

She couldn't seem to get his lecture out of her mind.

Ruby had sent the audio file over that first evening, and Emma had lost count of the number of times she had listened to it since then. She'd Googled Dr. Jones too. Killian Jones, as she'd found out, had quite the impressive resume behind him, for someone so young. He'd studied law at Oxford University, in the UK, and had graduated with a first-class honors degree, before going on to study at Stanford Law School. Jones had also spent time at Harvard before he sat, and passed, the New York bar. However, he seemed to prefer to spend his time in academia, as Emma couldn't find any cases listed under his name, during her extensive searches.

By the time she'd finished, she probably knew more about the legendary professor than the rest of the student body claimed to know, combined.

But, he still hadn't been in touch with her.

And that bothered Emma more than she would ever admit. She'd spent hours during those three weeks worrying that she'd crossed a line, or that he'd been humoring her the entire time, and had no intention of ever reaching out to her.

Until one Friday evening, when she sat down to check her emails, and found one buried amongst the newsletters from different bookstores, from a K. Jones.

Emma couldn't open the message quick enough, and when she did, all of her fears disappeared.

 _Miss Swan,_

 _I'm so sorry this message is late coming your way. Since we last spoke I have moved home, and in all of the chaos that comes with such a change, I forgot my promise to you, until I found your email address this evening. I do hope my delay hasn't dampened your spirit for ethical studies._

 _I have enclosed the paper that we spoke about, after my lecture. I have no doubts that you will find it a fascinating read, and it will certainly help you with your finals. If you wish to read anymore of Professor Winters's work, please don't hesitate to ask._

 _Enjoy your weekend,_

 _Dr. Killian A. Jones._

Emma read the message over twice, before she downloaded the attachment he'd sent with it, and then hit the reply button.

 **Dr. Jones,**

 **Thank you so much for taking the time to send this over to me. I can't imagine how busy you must be after your move, without having students hound you for your secrets to success.**

 **I've listened to your lecture a few times since you were here, and every time I do, I feel like I learn something new about the subject. For the very first time in my academic life, I'm not dreading the ethics final I know is just a few months away.**

 **I can't wait to read the original source material that inspired your own work. I may even cancel my plans this evening to do just that.**

 **Thank you for your time, and I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.**

 **Emma.**

Emma finished sorting through the rest of her messages, before she decided to head for a shower. Friday nights were the one night a week that she allowed Ruby to drag her out to whichever club or pub was deemed the hottest for the evening. And while she enjoyed getting out of their crappy apartment every now and then, she really wasn't the social bunny that her best friend was. Her idea of the perfect night was a good cup of English Breakfast tea, and a decent book; not a bottle of cheap beer, and music that was loud enough to damage her eardrums.

When she sat back down at her desk, which doubled as her dressing table, (given that she was just a student), her eyes widened in shock at the reply she saw waiting from Dr. Jones, in her inbox.

Emma had been certain she wouldn't hear from him again, unless he was replying to her request for more of Professor Winters's papers.

She pulled the message up to load as she routed through the bottom draw, for her stash of styling products and makeup, before reading what he'd written.

 _Miss Swan,_

 _(Would you prefer Emma?)_

 _For as busy as I may be, I would never be upset about students who decide to 'hound' me for my secrets. It's nice to see that my passion for a topic has rubbed off on someone else. After all, isn't that why one would turn to teaching to begin with?_

 _I'm flattered to hear how much you enjoyed the lecture. I truly hope it helps aide you when it comes time to sit your exams. Please, keep me abreast of your progress? I'll confess that hearing how well I'm sure you will do, in your finals, will give my ego a much needed boost._

 _However, I must request that unless you have an imminent deadline on Monday morning, please do not cancel your plans to read this paper. I would feel terribly guilty for spoiling your evening, and I know just how necessary it can be to blow off some steam, as a student. (I'm not as old as some of you like to believe I am)._

 _Enjoy your evening, and your weekend._

 _Regards,_

 _Killian Jones._

"What's made you so happy?" Ruby called out, as she pushed her way into her friend's room.

Emma slammed down the lid on her laptop, before she could see the message. Ruby had been teasing her for her intellectual crush on Dr. Jones since his lecture. The last thing Emma needed was for her friend to see that they had exchanged a few emails. Ruby would never let that drop.

"Just one of those silly cat videos on YouTube," she lied. "So, where are we going tonight?"

"The Rabbit Hole," Ruby beamed back at her, as she dropped down onto Emma's small bed. "Graham and Walsh are gonna meet us there."

Emma sighed internally. Ruby and Graham had been involved in an on-off relationship since the end of their first semester of their very first year of college. Which was about as long as Ruby had been trying to convince her to agree to a date with Graham's weird best friend, Walsh.

"Never gonna happen," Emma told her, as she snatched her clothes from the bed, and locked herself in the bathroom to finish getting dressed.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	4. Chapter 3

Emma didn't get the chance to reply to Dr. Jones's message that evening, before Ruby was dragging her out of their small apartment, and over to the bar that was selling the cheapest beers for the night. She tried to push thoughts of composing an adequate message out of her mind, and instead, offered her best friend her full and undivided attention.

Until Graham and Walsh made their appearance, along with a few of their friends from the basketball team.

While Emma would never begrudged her friend the time she spent with her boyfriend, his friends could be a little over-bearing and loud for her own tastes. But, in the interest of making Ruby happy, she slapped on her best smile, and tried to join the conversation, wherever possible.

It was only when Ruby left to use the bathroom, and Graham disappeared shortly after, that Emma's night truly began to deteriorate.

"So, Emma, how's things?" Walsh asked, as he slid into the booth next to her. He was slightly closer than was completely necessary, given that his thigh was pressed tightly against her own.

"Good, thanks," she replied cordially. "Just busy preparing for exams."

Walsh nodded his head, presumably to show that he'd heard what she had said, before he asked, "Do you fancy grabbing some coffee together, sometime next week?"

"I'm busy preparing for exams," she repeated. "I need to get good grades so that when I graduate, I can find a decent job."

"Oh, okay. Then, maybe when you've finished?" he asked hopefully.

Emma didn't have the heart to flat-out refuse him. Which was probably why Walsh still hadn't given up his advances towards her. "Maybe," she agreed, with a tight smile. "If you'll excuse me, I have to use the restroom."

As she squeezed out of the small booth, Emma grabbed her bag, and headed in the direction of the front door, instead of the bathrooms. She knew that Ruby would probably be busy for the rest of the evening, and she had no desire to fend off Walsh's advances until her friend returned. He had a tendency to get a little handsy when he was drunk.

As soon as she was outside in the fresh air, Emma pulled out her phone to fire off a quick message to Ruby, so she wouldn't worry, before starting the walk back to their apartment. It wasn't far from the bar, but as luck would have it, she'd taken roughly twelve steps when the heavens opened, and rain began to saturate through every inch of her clothing.

"Fuck me," she sighed, into the darkness.

The rain was the perfect icing on the cake that was her shitty night.

"Excuse me?" came a startled reply, from somewhere to her left.

Emma's eyes widened in shock as she swung round to face the person it belonged to. "Dr. Jones," she gasped, as her eyes found his face, inside one of the many cars parked on the opposite side of the street. "I'm sorry. I um… I don't usually curse into thin air."

"That's quite alright," he assured her. "We've all had our moments of frustration before. Perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

When Emma simply stood and stared at him in confusion, Jones hurried to clarify, "You're getting soaked. Allow me to drive you wherever it is that you're going."

"Oh, that's okay." She waved away his offer, even as the chill from the rain began to seep into her bones. "My apartment isn't far from here. I can walk."

"Don't be ridiculous," he chided. "You're going to get sick if you stay out in this downpour for much longer. And that's certainly not going to help you pass your exams. Allow me to drive you home."

Emma wasn't sure why, but her brain was screaming at her not to accept the offer. While Jones had only ever delivered one lecture to her, during her entire academic career, she didn't want to risk his own, if they were spotted together.

It just wasn't appropriate.

"Miss Swan, get in the bloody car," he snapped eventually. His own tone was bordering on frustration, and Emma chuckled a little at it. After all, it was her own irritation that had caused the mess she was currently in, to begin with.

Emma took a good look up and down the street, to make sure she wasn't being watched, before she crossed quickly, to climb into the passenger seat of his car. The moment she did, she cringed a little at the obscene squelch of wet denim on the pristine leather of his interior.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he chuckled. "It's a car. It'll clean." Jones reached for the small control panel in the center of the console, and fiddled with a few buttons, until a steady stream of warm air began to circulate around them. "How's that?" he asked.

"Really good," Emma admitted, with a chuckle. She hadn't realized just how cold and wet she'd gotten, in such a small space of time, until that moment. "I'm um… I'm sorry to put you out."

"Don't be," he scoffed. "It's not like I'm having to buy or rent a car to drive you home in. A few miles out of my way won't ruin my day."

"Thank you." Emma offered him a small smile, before reaching for her seatbelt, as Jones started the car's engine.

"Which way?" he asked.

She gave easy directions, before he finally swung the vehicle out of its parking space, and set off in the direction of the small apartment she had called home for the last two years.

"Should I ask how your night went?" Jones kept his eyes focused on the road, as he made small talk, and Emma was grateful for that. He was hard enough to talk to when she was put together. When she resembled a drowned rat, it was virtually impossible.

"It wasn't too bad," she replied honestly, as she fiddled with the sleeve of her shirt. The part before Ruby had escaped for sex with her boyfriend had been enjoyable enough. "But, when my roommate bailed, I figured it was time for me to do the same."

"I'm sorry she left you behind," he offered genuinely.

"Oh no, it's not like that. Ruby and Graham have been on and off for so long, even I can't keep up with them. Today they're on… which means their clothes are probably off right now."

Jones snorted at the brutal honesty of Emma's words, and her face flamed bright red when she realized she'd just been telling one of her professors about her best friend's sex life.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry," she apologized again. "That was really inappropriate of me."

"It's fine. I might be a stuffy old professor, but I am aware that most people your age have a sex life."

"I don't think you're stuffy. Or old," Emma blurted out, before she could stop herself.

Jones pulled his eyes away from the road to just briefly flick them over her, before he turned back again. "Well, thank you for that, Miss Swan. Is this yours?"

Emma was startled by the sudden turn in conversation, until she realized that they were now parked outside of her small apartment building.

"Um, yeah. That's me." She reached for her bag, where she had dropped it between her legs, before turning to face Jones fully. "Thanks for driving me back."

"You're very welcome. I hope you enjoy that paper."

"I'll be sure to let you know if I do," she joked, as she pulled on the door handle, to let in a rush of cool air.

"I will be eagerly awaiting your feedback. Good night, Miss Swan."

"Good night, Dr. Jones."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and all of your lovely feedback on this piece.**


	5. Chapter 4

**As always, I owe my biggest thanks to Kates89, Xninafun, and resident-of-storybrooke for all of their help and guidance with this story.**

* * *

The first thing Emma did that evening, when she got back to her apartment, was take a hot shower, to help shake off the chill from the rain.

When she was finally curled up in her twin bed, with a mug of cocoa and her laptop, she opened Dr. Jones's email once more. Emma spent the next three hours reading through the paper he had sent, and researching Professor Winters.

Jones had been right.

Winters's paper was written in a way Emma had never read before, in the legal studies field. It was a highly engaging piece, that she couldn't seem to put down, and was even entertaining in places, with Winters's own commentary on the cases he had cited. Yet, it still read as professionally as every other piece Emma had ever studied. She could see why the Professor's work had made such a huge impact on both Jones's studies, and his future career path.

Emma was already starting to dread her ethics exam less than she had been, the month before she'd met the legendary legal professor.

When she'd finally finished reading, and making comprehensive notes from the piece, she pulled up her email account once more, to fire back a quick reply.

 **Dr. Jones,**

 **I have just finished reading the paper you sent me, and I can see now why you'd feel it was a life changing piece. I've read it through a number of times since I got home, and combined with your own lecture, it has definitely changed the way I feel about the entire subject of ethics. The tone the essay was written in left me feeling both educated, and entertained.**

 **Mrs. West could definitely learn a thing or two from Professor Winters ;-)**

 **I now find myself able to recall the smaller details a lot easier than I used to. Before, I knew I had studied the content, but sometimes I struggled to remember the specifics required during the examination. Tonight (or, I guess it's technically this morning), I now feel like I have all of the information I need to pass my upcoming exam.**

 **Thank you, for that wonderful gift.**

 **I also wanted to take a moment to thank you again, for giving me a lift home this evening. I really do hope I haven't done any damage to your car. Please, feel free to forward me any necessary invoices for the cleanup involved.**

 **With all my thanks,**

 **Emma.**

 **(Which I much prefer over Miss Swan).**

She hit send before she could talk herself in to removing the smiley she had added to the message, before she closed her laptop, and slipped it into the small gap between her bed, and the table beside it.

It had been a long week, so sleep came easily for Emma, that evening.

* * *

"Morning," Emma chirped, as she made her way through to the kitchen, where Ruby was slumped over the shabby dining table they owned.

"Nothing good about it," her best friend moaned, not even bothering to lift her head.

Emma looked her over as best she could, given the position Ruby was slumped in, before she asked, "Should I take that to mean you and Graham are off again?"

"Do we really need to talk about this right now?" Ruby finally lifted her head to level Emma with a dark glare, that told her friend just how hungover she was.

"Coffee?" she offered instead. The brunette mumbled incoherently, as she dropped her head back down to the table, and Emma took that as a yes.

It was only when her friend was half-way through the caffeinated beverage that she finally started to look a little more human, and turned to Emma to ask, "So… where did you disappear to last night?"

"I just came home." Technically it wasn't a lie. Emma had gone straight home from the bar. She just wasn't ready to share the news that Dr. Jones had been the one to drive her home… yet.

"Walsh still trying to hit it?" Ruby teased, as she wiggled her brows playfully in Emma's direction.

"Yes. And I really wish he wouldn't. Can't you ask Graham to get him to drop it?"

"I'm not talking to Graham right now. You'll have to ask him yourself," she snapped.

"What did he do this time?"

Emma had lived through these conversations one too many times in her past. Graham usually did something stupid, that her friend deemed totally unacceptable. Ruby wouldn't speak to him for a few days, or a few weeks, (depending upon how serious she believed his infraction to be), and then they'd finally make up again.

For Emma, the making up was the worst part. It always happened at their apartment, because Ruby would stubbornly refuse to visit him. And it _always_ resulted in loud sex.

The walls in their home simply weren't thick enough for _anything_ to drown that out _._

"Do you wanna do something today?" Ruby finally asked.

"I can't," Emma sighed. "I have to work."

"Ugh. You're no fun," her friend teased.

Ruby knew Emma enjoyed working at the small coffee shop, not far from where they lived. It was one of those rare student jobs that actually paid well enough to support her friend, without impeding her studies. Ruby also knew that Emma saved as much of her wages and tips as she possibly could, just in case she wasn't lucky enough to get the future she deserved.

While Ruby had been fortunate enough to have been raised by her grandmother, who had worked hard to help with her college tuition, Emma didn't even have that luxury. Now that she was an adult, and out of the system, Ruby knew her friend was preparing for all eventualities. Emma had confessed, a few years into their friendship, that she'd slept on the streets more than once before, as a child. It was obvious to Ruby that her best friend had no desire to _ever_ repeat that experience again.

"I'll stop by on your break, if you'd like?" she offered instead. "We can talk about how much of a dick Graham is, over some decent coffee and muffins."

"Deal," Emma agreed, with a small chuckle. That was something else she'd lived through plenty of times before. But, she'd never turn down a moment to bond with her friend. "I should go and get ready, though."

Ruby nodded her understanding, and watched as her friend slipped out of the kitchen, heading back into her bedroom.

Once inside, instead of immediately dressing for her shift at the coffee shop, Emma reached for her laptop, hoping to see a response from Dr. Jones in her inbox.

She wasn't disappointed.

 _Emma,_

 _I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the paper. I suspected you would, but one can never be too sure on these matters. Although, you could have waited until this morning to read it. I hope you don't mind me saying, but you looked exhausted last night, when I left you. Studying was something that could have waited until the sun had risen!_

 _My car is absolutely fine. There really is nothing to worry about. A clean towel and a little elbow grease means it now looks cleaner than it did before you got into it. Seeing you home safely is all the thanks I needed._

 _I've attached another of Professor Winters's papers to this message, for you to read at your leisure. Not all of them are on the topic of ethics. Midas told me that you were finishing up homicide, as part of your studies this semester, so I've sent one on that topic for you to browse._

 _I shall pass your feedback on to Mrs. West when I next speak with her. Be sure to prepare yourself for the fallout that may come from that. I happen to know from personal experience that she is not a woman who likes to be told she's doing something wrong. ;-)_

 _Enjoy your weekend,_

 _Killian Jones._

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	6. Chapter 5

Emma worked at a small coffee shop, not far from the apartment she and Ruby shared. It was in a slightly nicer part of the city, tucked away amongst small stores and office buildings, which usually kept her busy throughout the day. But not busy enough for Betty, their owner, to hire more staff than just the three of them.

Gloria had opened the shop that morning, and was preparing coffee for the only customer in there, when Emma arrived. She offered the younger girl a small wave and a cheery hello, as Emma made her way through to the back of the shop, to store her bag and coat. She grabbed a clean apron from the cupboard, washed her hands, and then headed back out to the front of the shop, ready to make a start on refilling their shelves.

Emma kept herself busy all morning with preparing the freshly baked sweet treats the store prided themselves on, while Gloria took care of their customer needs.

Ruby arrived just as she was sitting down for her lunchbreak, and the two women spent the hour gossiping over grilled cheese, and what Emma would argue was the finest coffee New York City had to offer.

"Okay. Tell me about Graham," she encouraged, before taking her first bite.

"Ugh. He's such a dick," Ruby sighed. "We were outside cooling down a little, and trying to talk where we could actually hear each other. Then this random girl comes up to him and just starts flirting with him."

Emma cringed a little, already knowing where the conversation was headed. Graham was a fairly decent guy, and he seemed to genuinely like Ruby. But the man was always completely clueless when it came to other women flirting with him.

"So I'm stood there, like some kind of idiot, while he flirts back with her. I mean, how hard would it have been for him to introduce me, or better yet, tell her to fuck off?"

"Are you sure he was flirting?" Emma probed gently. "I mean, is it not possible that he was just trying to be polite?"

"If he wanted to be polite he would have introduced me to her. Not ignored me the entire time. Instead, I was just stood there looking like some kind of fangirl of his, while he's busy flirting with Miss. Skinny-legs." Ruby picked aggressively at her sandwich as she spoke, her appetite suddenly gone.

"Did you at least speak to Graham about it?" her friend tried again. Normally when Ruby was pissed at him, it took her a few days to calm down and actually listen to the advice she was being given.

But it never stopped Emma from trying to get through to her.

"Of course not," she fumed. "I grabbed my shit and got the hell out of there as fast as I could. I wasn't gonna stick around any longer looking like a fool. The last thing I needed was to see my boyfriend shove his tongue down some slut's throat."

"Did Graham actually kiss her?"

"I don't know and I don't really care," Ruby lied, before she changed the subject to ask Emma about the progress she'd made so far, on a paper they had due on Friday morning.

Ruby left just as Emma's lunchbreak came to an end, and Gloria's shift finished around an hour later, leaving her alone for the end of the day. Saturday afternoons were always the quietest part of their working week. With most of the office buildings empty for the weekend, and the lack of students in the area (despite the affordable rents a few blocks over), there were only the occasional stragglers who wandered in for their coffee hits. So, Emma had been trusted to finish the day and close the shop down every week.

She was bent down behind the counter, searching for a new box of receipt rolls for the register, when a voice suddenly called out, "Hello?" from somewhere above.

"Shit," she cursed, as she jumped up and banged her head on the heavy wooden counter above her. She just managed to hide her cringe as she straightened fully, and turned to face her newest customer. "Sorry about that. How can I… Dr. Jones?"

Emma blinked a few times just to be certain that he was actually stood in front of her, and the bump on her head wasn't causing hallucinations. She'd never seen him in the small shop before, and she knew all of their regulars by name.

"I don't know if I should be offended that the first thing you always seem to say to me is a curse word, or flattered?" he chuckled, before he asked more seriously, "Are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you."

"Yeah, I'm fine," she reassured him, bringing a hand up to rub at the small bump that was already forming on the back of her head. "I just didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry. Next time I'll announce my presence as soon as I walk through the door," he teased.

Emma found herself laughing a little, even though his joke really wasn't that funny. There was just something about the way his eyes sparkled with his humor, that left her caught up in the moment. "What can I get you?" she asked eventually, when she finally came to her senses. She'd blame the bump on her head for being slightly slow that afternoon, but she knew that it was more likely due to Jones's presence. He had a way of throwing her off her game.

Jones's eyes flicked up to the menu above her head, and then back down to settle on her face. "A large cappuccino and one of those strawberry and white chocolate chip muffins, please?"

Emma turned towards the coffee machine to begin her preparations, before casually calling over her shoulder, "So… should I be worried that we seem to keep bumping into each other?"

"Huh?" Jones asked distractedly.

"You seem to be showing up in my neighborhood quite a bit recently," she teased, as she sat his drink down in front of him. "I've not see you around here before."

"I just moved back to the city," he explained quietly. "I promise, our meetings are all products of fate and proximity, not some nefarious stalking plan I have concocted."

"Glad to hear it," Emma chuckled. "I'd hate to have to take out a restraining order against you."

Jones took a moment to sip from the drink she'd placed before him, before letting out a small groan of appreciation. "Oh, please don't. I'd have to find a new coffee shop, and this is possibly the best I've ever tasted." Emma gave him a knowing smile of agreement, as she watched him reach into the back pocket of his jeans, for his wallet. "How much do I owe you?"

"It's on me." She waved away his attempts to protest, before adding, "It's the least I can do to repay you for the lift home last night. I'd probably have caught flu and missed work, knowing my luck."

Jones didn't look too happy, but he didn't protest either. Instead, he grabbed his mug and the small plate which his muffin stood on, and made his way over to one of the tables in the corner of the room. Emma watched as he removed his jacket and pulled out his laptop, before she turned her attention back to her own work.

Dr. Jones left roughly an hour before closing that afternoon, after ordering two more mugs of coffee, and a sandwich to go.

Emma also noticed that at some point during her shift, he'd slipped a fifty-dollar bill into her tip jar on the counter, when she wasn't looking.

* * *

 **You didn't think I'd keep them apart for too long, did you?**

 **Jones's intention with his tip is perfectly honourable and will be explained at a later date. So don't panic!**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 6

The rest of Emma's week passed as it usually did, with her time spent in classes, studying, or with Ruby. The only noticeable difference to it was her daily emails with Dr. Jones. The first thing she'd do each morning was check her inbox, and it was also the last thing she did every evening. The two of them messaged back and forth about the content of Professor Winters's papers, and the effect they were having on Emma's studies. Jones would also send anything interesting that he came across, that he thought Emma would appreciate, and she would do the same for him. It was a great way for the two of them to have a debate about the material Emma was being exposed to, and she couldn't help but feel that Dr. Jones was giving her a huge advantage over her peers.

She was also learning more about the man himself. While most of their emails remained rather professional in nature, occasionally one of them would slip in something more personal. Jones would apologize for his delayed response, saying he was busy eating, and their messages would quickly evolve into a conversation about their favorite foods and cuisines, or the best takeaway restaurants to be found in New York City. Emma would take a little longer than normal to reply, and explain that it was because she and Ruby had been binge watching a new TV show, which would quickly turn to talk about their favorite shows, movies and genres.

Emma wasn't stupid. She knew that the correspondence they were exchanging didn't make them friends. But it felt nice to know there was someone else she could turn to for help and guidance, during her academic career.

Saturday afternoon was where things began to change for her.

She'd been sat down on her break, enjoying one of the shop's wonderful hazelnut lattes, and a grilled chicken salad from the small sandwich shop down the road, as she worked away at her next paper.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" a familiarly accented voice had asked.

Emma lifted her head from her laptop's screen, to find Dr. Jones grinning down at her. "Of course not," she replied, shifting everything she had spread across the table, to give him some space. "Are you sure you're not stalking me?"

Jones chuckled a little as he took the seat opposite her at the small table, and sat down his messenger bag and coffee. "I assure you, I most certainly am not. I've grown quite partial to the coffee here. Your presence is merely an added bonus to my day."

Emma flushed at his compliment before turning her attention back to her salad bowl.

"Are you still working on your homicide paper?" he asked, nodding his head towards Emma's open laptop. She'd mentioned it before in their emails, earlier that week, but she was still a little shocked to find that Jones had remembered it.

"Yeah. I think I have all the components I need now. I'm just trying to add the relevant cases to the right places."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" he asked, as he took a small sip from his own mug.

A part of Emma wanted to refuse. The idea of such an accomplished lawyer looking over her paper filled her with dread.

 _What if it was awful, and he decided she was no longer worthy of his time?_

But a larger part of her knew this was a wonderful opportunity to learn from Dr. Jones once more. And that was simply too good to pass up.

"Of course not," she assured him, as she lifted the laptop up to hand it over to him. "I um… I should get back to work though. Do you mind?"

"Not at all."

The twenty minutes it took Jones to read through the document were some of the most tense minutes of Emma's life. While she finished filling their cabinets for the rest of the day, Emma watched from the corner of her eye as Jones scrolled through her Word document. He would occasionally tap away at the keys, leaving her some notes on sections of the paper, before he would sit back in his seat, sipping from his mug, as he scrolled again.

Gloria's shift came to an end with a whispered, "He's handsome," and a wink in Emma's direction, as the older woman slipped out of the front door. Emma turned back to find that Jones had closed the screen of her laptop, and had placed it securely beside his own piles of papers and notebooks. She was kept busy with a sudden rush of customers for a further eighteen agonizing minutes, before she finally found the time to sneak away, to see what the legendary professor had thought of her work.

"How was it?" Emma asked, twisting her apron between her hands.

Jones reached out to pull it free, gently brushing his fingers against the back of her hands, as he replied, "It was wonderful, Emma. You have a real talent for understanding the law. I've made a few notes on how you could add or expand certain sections, to show a greater understanding of the source material. But, to be completely honest with you, it doesn't really need it. If I were marking this paper, you'd be passing with flying colors."

The tension visibly drained from Emma's shoulders as she took in the honest expression on his face. Jones wasn't praising her to be kind, he was praising her work because he felt that she deserved it.

"Coming from you, that's a huge compliment. Thank you so much."

"You don't have to thank me, Emma. It's honestly both a pleasure, and an honor, to be able to get a peek into your mind in such a way. While the students I meet are usually driven to succeed, none of them have been quite as determined or dedicated as you are."

Emma stood in stunned silence for a long moment, before she finally realized that she'd been staring at Dr. Jones the entire time. She quickly reached for his empty mug, in an attempt to cover up her blush, as she mumbled, "Thank you. I'll um… I'll go and refill this for you. Can I tempt you to any of my sweet treats while I'm at it?"

Jones seemed to choke on thin air at her words, and when Emma's brain finally caught on to the innuendo she'd accidentally made, she hurried away before she could embarrass herself any further.

* * *

 **Thank you for all of your sweet words of support on this story. I'm so glad you're enjoying reading this, as much as I'm enjoying writing it.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 7

**As today is my birthday, I wanted to celebrate with you all by attempting to post a chapter for each of my current WIPs (excluding Fairytales, as editing that one piece takes longer than editing one for every other story I have posting).**

 **This chapter is a little different to the previous ones, but I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **My endless gratitude goes to Kates89,** **resident-of-storybrooke** **and** **xninafun** **for all of their guidance on this piece, and their unanimous love of the cat videos.**

* * *

 **Jones,**

 **I just wanted to let you know that I got my paper back from Midas today, and you were right, I passed with flying colours. He gave it an 87. I don't think it would have come in anywhere near that high, without your help. Thank you so much for that.**

 **Coffee's on me this weekend.**

 **Emma.**

 _Swan!_

 _(I figured if you were doing the last name thing, I could too),_

 _I'm so happy to hear that! But, I think he under marked you. The version I read before you finished citations and edits was worth at least a 90. And there was very little in it that came from any assistance I gave you, so I think you have yourself to thank for that achievement._

 _In that respect, lunch is on me this weekend._

 _Good luck with your quiz today,_

 _Jones._

Emma smiled to herself as she read his reply through again.

"What are you so happy about?" Ruby asked, sliding into the empty seat to her left.

"Cat videos," Emma lied smoothly. "You know they always get me. Do you think our place is too small for a kitten?"

Ruby quirked a brow in curiosity, but she didn't push the issue. Instead, she busied herself with preparing for the lecture they had ahead of them.

"What are _you_ smiling about?" Emma asked her friend.

"Graham apologized," Ruby explained. Which Emma knew was also code for, _I just got laid._ "He wants to take us all out next weekend, to celebrate my birthday. What do you think?"

Emma's first thought was that she _really_ hoped Walsh wouldn't be there too. She didn't much fancy spending the evening fighting off his advances, or giving him bullshit excuses as to why she couldn't go on a date with him. But she also didn't want to put a dampener on her friend's happiness, or her birthday celebrations. So, instead she said, "I think that's a fantastic idea. What does he have planned?"

While they waited for their lecturer to finish setting up, Ruby gave Emma a brief run down on the plans for her birthday celebrations, and where they would be taking place. It sounded like Graham had decided to go for something a little more classy than the usual cheap pubs and clubs he favoured, so Emma made a mental note to take herself shopping at some point, before the following Saturday evening. She quite liked the idea of dressing up to celebrate Ruby's birthday, with their friends.

* * *

 **Jones,**

 **Normally, being under marked would drive me mad, but Midas is notoriously hard to please. So, I will take my 87 and be very proud of it. But, that's not to say that I won't be attempting to add your 90 to my resume, when the time comes, in any way I possibly can. I don't know if you're aware of it, but your status on campus is legendary!**

 **Thank you for the offer, but you really don't have to do that. The coffee shop actually provides me with a free lunch, but as much as I would happily eat grilled cheese sandwiches and onion rings every week, I think my arteries would begin to protest after a few months. I hear law is a very high-pressure environment to work in, so I'm taking no risks. I should probably join a gym…**

 **I passed my quiz today too, with a score of 100%. But, it's not really worth celebrating – 24 out of 27 of us passed with the same score.**

 **How's that book? Would you recommend it? (Not that I ever get time to read anything other than legal journals and law reviews, right now).**

 **Swan!**

 _Swan,_

 _I will happily write you a recommendation when the time comes. You're a very gifted student, and deserve all the success I know you have coming your way._

 _I was not aware of this legendary status. It's been years since I last delivered a lecture at Columbia. What do they say about me?_

 _I was, however, aware of your lunch situation. I don't only visit for coffee on the weekends, when you're working. The lovely Gloria explained to me about her lunch the other day, and how it was provided by Betty, for all of the staff. But, she may have hinted that you prefer to buy, or bring, your own meal with you._

 _You're right – law is a very high-pressure environment to work in. So, I don't blame you at all for wanting to take care of yourself as best you can. I'd like to say I do the same thing, but it would be a blatant lie. Thankfully, academia isn't quite as high-risk as many of the jobs my old school friends hold._

 _You mentioned the other evening that Italian food was your favourite, but often too expensive to eat in the city. So, please allow me to take you out for lunch this weekend, on your break, in order to celebrate your wonderful achievements this week? I've found this delightful little place not far from where you work, and I think you'd love it._

 _Congratulations on that quiz score. I knew you'd ace it – and yet another reason to celebrate._

 _The book was sadly very disappointing. I ended up donating it to a second-hand store after finding the fifth typo in the second chapter. Definitely one to avoid in your future._

 _What's on the cards for tonight's Netflix binge?_

 _Jones._

"Holy shit," Emma mumbled to herself, as she read his message back through again.

And then once more, just to make sure she was actually seeing what she thought she was.

Dr. Jones wanted to take her out for lunch. And she couldn't quite believe it.

She knew that their messages were starting to become less professional in nature, and more friendly, as the days passed. But she had always thought that whatever friendship they had would be confined to just a long email chain, and a few shared coffees at the place where she worked. Both were locations where they wouldn't be seen together, or overheard by someone they knew.

Jones's desire to take her out for lunch would change things. Of that Emma was certain. There was every chance someone from school could see them together. There was even a possibility that they could get the wrong idea about the nature of her relationship with the legendary professor.

And Emma wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Jones had only ever delivered one lecture to her. Did that make him her professor? Did that mean they were forbidden from forming an outside relationship? Was one guest lecture enough to ruin his career, if they were spotted together?

Emma locked her phone and flopped back down onto her bed with a sigh. She was certain she was reading more into things than she should be doing. Jones was probably just trying to be nice. But, without Ruby to turn to for some kind of guidance, Emma was on her own.

And her brain always seemed to spiral out of control in those situations.

* * *

 **Thanks for all of your support on this story.**


	9. Chapter 8

**As ever, my thanks go to Kates89, Xninafun and resident-of-storybrooke for all of their help with this story. It would not be what it is without them.**

* * *

Emma was almost late for work on Saturday. She'd spent the previous night at a bar with Ruby, and some of their other friends. For the first time in her life, she had consumed one too many drinks that night, in an attempt to try and forget the lunch date she had arranged for the following day.

Thankfully, she hadn't quite consumed enough to spill her biggest secret to the entire bar. But it was enough to leave her groaning as she pulled herself from her bed, at six _am._

"Good morning," Gloria chirped, as Emma made her way through the front door.

"Hey Gloria. How's your week been?" she asked politely, as she hung up her coat and bag in the small office at the back of the shop, before grabbing a clean apron.

"Oh, nothing exciting," the older woman replied. "Things here have been fairly quiet too. How about yours?"

"Good. It's been good. I um… I think I have a lunch date this afternoon," Emma blurted suddenly. She hadn't been intending to tell anyone about it. But the doubts and fears had been building inside of her ever since she had replied to Jones's email, to accept his kind offer.

And Emma needed someone to talk to about them.

She had been working at the small coffee shop ever since she'd moved to New York. During that time, Betty and Gloria had become the closest people she'd ever had to family figures, in her life. Emma knew, deep down, that if there were anybody she could turn to for advice, that wouldn't judge her for what she was about to reveal, it would be the two of them.

"Oh? With that handsome man that comes in here every few days?" Gloria asked. Her eyes were already twinkling with excitement, and Emma loved her a little more for that.

"Yeah," she admitted quietly. "But um… I'm not sure I should go."

"Why on earth not?" Gloria demanded, as she finished faffing around with the muffins in the cabinet, and turned to give Emma her full attention. She looked every inch the disapproving gran, with the way she had her fist propped on her hip.

"He's my professor," Emma whispered. "Well, at least, he was. One time. Does one time count? I mean, it's not like he's grading my work. I'm not blowing him for better grades, or anything. He just… he's so intelligent, you know? And he likes the same things I do. We can geek out together over politics, and law… and he doesn't find me strange, or frigid, like others have. But he's also older than me. And I know that creeps some people out. I think it's fifteen years? But if that doesn't bother him or me, then it shouldn't bother them, right? And I could be reading far too much into this. This might not even be a date at all. He probably doesn't even find me attractive. He might just genuinely be trying to be nice to me, you know? Or maybe he's only interested in sex? Maybe that's his kink? Young college girls, so he can play the naughty professor role? Either way, I don't know if I should go."

"Oh, Sweetheart," Gloria sighed. She took hold of Emma's elbow and gently guided her down into the nearest seat, before parking herself in the chair opposite. "How long have you been holding all of that in?"

"A while," Emma admitted, with a rueful chuckle. "We started emailing each other after his lecture. He delivered this wonderful address on ethics, and when I spoke to him at the end of it, he offered to send me some pieces he'd drawn inspiration from. We've been talking every day since then."

"Then I think that rules out the just wanting sex issue," Gloria snorted. "A man who is only interested in sex won't go to that much trouble for it, Sweetheart. Especially not one who looks like he does. He could probably pick any random woman off the street, who would happily help him satisfy those needs. Lord knows if I were not happily married to my Albert, I would."

"Thanks…. I think?" Emma tried to shove aside the mental images Gloria's last few words had brought to mind, to focus on the reassurances she'd offered instead.

She was a little ashamed to admit that the thought of Jones using her for easy sex had definitely crossed her mind. And Emma hated herself for that. When she'd finally found a stable place at high school, she had met a guy there, that she thought she could trust. Neal had built a relationship with her that had left Emma believing that he truly loved her, and that she was in love with him. Until she'd found out that he was only using her for sex, when he couldn't get it from any of the girls in the cheerleading squad.

It was one of the most humiliating moments of her life, and she'd sworn never to let a guy play her that way again.

Emma didn't get those kinds of douchebag vibes from Jones. But she knew that most of their interactions had been text based, and not in person. Jones was a smart guy, with far more dating experience than she had. So, if he was playing her, Emma suspected that he would be far better at it than Neal ever was.

"As for being your professor… I don't think one lecture qualifies for that status," Gloria continued. "Like you said, he has no influence over your grades, and he doesn't hold a position of power over you. You could date any number of people in the world who may have, at one point in time, delivered a lecture at your school. I doubt that kind of thing comes up often in conversation, before people agree to a first date. So, I think you're fine there."

The older woman stood as she watched a customer approach the counter. But instead of walking away, she reached over to squeeze Emma's shoulder gently. "Whether or not this is a date, I honestly couldn't say. But what I can say is… that young man always finds a way to slip you in to conversation when he's in here. And I'm not the only one who has noticed it. So, if it's not a date… I don't think you'll have to wait too much longer until he's asking you out on one."

Gloria left Emma alone for a few moments to consider her words, before the young girl finally pulled herself together, to get started on the rest of the day's preparations.

* * *

As the clock ticked ever closer to the time she normally took her lunch break, Emma's stomach began to churn. She was grateful that Gloria had found a number of things to keep her busy with, because it helped to keep her mind off her date with Jones.

A little.

The doubts still found their way to creep in, making her freeze for a second as another worry hit her. But Emma found that focusing on her work helped push them aside.

Until Gloria came to fetch her roughly an hour before her break time.

"Go and wash up a little," she instructed, as she poked her head around the door to the kitchen. Emma was confused by the instruction, so the older woman rolled her eyes good-naturedly, as she elaborated, "Your lunch date is here."

"Oh shit, he is?" Emma worried, looking down at the flour she was covered in. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks to any God listening that she'd thought to pack a change of clothes that morning. "He's early."

"He's eager," Gloria teased. "Clean up a little and then get off for your lunch. I won't tell Betty if you don't."

Emma gave the other woman a quick kiss to the cheek, as she pulled off her apron and grabbed her bag, to head for the employee bathroom.

* * *

 **I honestly cannot thank you guys enough for the wonderful response to this story.**

 **The next chapter is the start of Emma and Jones's date. Possibly. Emma's still not sure if it is one.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Slightly earlier than planned update as I know I left you all hanging with the last one. And I want to focus on Fairytales edits for the rest of the weekend.**

 **As ever, my love and thanks go to Kates89, Xninafun and resident-of-storybrooke for all of their guidance and support on this story.**

* * *

"Hey. You're early," Emma greeted, as she made her way back out to the front of the shop, to find Jones lounging against the counter with a coffee in hand, as he spoke to Gloria.

"I needed my coffee fix," he explained. But the look on his face was far too innocent for Emma to buy. "Gloria here said you were just finishing up, so I got you one too." He held out a small paper cup for Emma to take, and when she pulled the lid off, she was pleasantly surprised to smell her favourite blend inside of it. Jones had apparently been paying attention during their coffee breaks together.

"Thank you. You didn't need to do that."

He leaned in a little closer and whispered, "I thought we had covered this before? I do it because I _want_ to, not because I feel obligated to."

Emma blushed a little at both the tone his words were spoken in, and his close proximity. She hadn't realised until that moment just how much distance the two of them usually maintained. With Jones that close, she was overwhelmed by the scent of him. It was something very masculine and wholly enticing all at once.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, looking her up and down.

Emma froze for a moment, worried that she was dressed inappropriately. Until her brain finally caught up and helpfully reminded her that she was no longer wearing her apron, which was more than likely what had caught his attention.

"Sure," she told him, before turning to face Gloria, who was practically beaming at the two of them. "I'll um, I'll be back soon," she promised.

"Oh, take your time," Gloria assured her. "I've got nowhere else to be today."

Emma suspected she was lying. Gloria always went to visit her grandchildren, after her shifts on Saturdays. But she appreciated her friend's gesture nonetheless.

Jones moved forward to pull open the door, and held it for Emma as she exited the building, sipping at the beverage he'd bought for her. He turned back to throw a wink over his shoulder, in the direction of her co-worker, before following her out onto the street.

"So, how has your week been?" he asked, as they started moving along the sidewalk. Emma didn't know where she was going, but she assumed that he did.

"I think you already know the answer to that," she chuckled. Their emails were becoming far more frequently exchanged and much more private in nature, than they had to begin with.

"I do, but I'd rather hear it from you than read it in your messages," he explained, turning to offer her his full attention.

As much as Emma was a little embarrassed by the idea of repeating the rather boring week she'd had to him, she was actually grateful for the distraction he was providing her with. The more she spoke, the less time she had to worry about the nature of their lunch, or what he was thinking, whenever he turned to look at her.

They hadn't been walking for long, and Emma was just about to launch into the story of how she had spent her Friday evening, when Jones suddenly stopped to pull open a glass door. The building was one she had passed by many times before, but had never actually been inside of.

"We're here," he explained with a small chuckle, at Emma's confused look.

" _This_ is the restaurant?" She had always assumed it was just an office block.

"The restaurant's on the fourth floor," Jones explained. "I found it when I was here to deliver a lecture a few weeks back. Not many people know about it unless you work inside of the building."

Emma jumped a little when she felt his hand settle on the small of her back, as he guided her through the door, and to the bank of elevators at the back of the room.

"Sorry," Jones apologized, pulling his hand away quickly.

"It's um… it's okay," Emma assured him. "I just uh… I wasn't expecting it, you know?"

Jones waited until they were both securely inside of the elevator, and the doors had closed behind them, before he spoke. "I'm not sure I do."

Of course he would choose _that_ moment to press the issue.

"I guess I um… I guess I'm just not sure what this is," Emma finally explained, as she stared down at the toes of her boots. She was thankful she'd thought to pack them, or she'd be entering what she was now sure would be a rather fancy restaurant in sneakers, covered in dirt and flour.

" _This_?" Jones asked. "As in… going out for lunch, or the intention behind me asking you to join me today?"

Emma hated that he gave absolutely nothing away with his face, or his tone. She knew the man was a damned good lawyer, and she could definitely see that in action, in that moment. How many times had her professors told her not to show her true intentions when delivering addressees, until the time was absolutely right? To carefully control her emotions when presenting cases? Jones was living proof of just how effective that could be in a court room setting… or an elevator.

"The intention behind it," she whispered softly.

"Let me ask you a question before I answer yours," he began, reaching out to hit the emergency stop button on the control panel. The carriage jolted to a stop, and Emma threw her hands out to keep herself on her feet. "Do you want this to be a date?"

"What kind of a question is that?" she asked with a soft laugh. It did absolutely nothing to cover her nerves, and they both knew it.

"A fair one," he replied. "Do you want this to be a date?"

"I…." Emma trailed off as she looked up into his face. She hated that he wouldn't drop the subject. That he'd asked her while she was essentially cornered. And most of all, she hated that she couldn't get a read on his intentions at all. "Does it matter if I do?" she finally snapped. "If you don't want it to be a date, then what does it matter if I do?"

"Given how we met, and the age difference between the two of us, I think what _you_ want right now matters far more than you seem to think it does." Jones let a rueful chuckle escape him, as he took a small step closer to her. "Besides… when did I ever say I didn't want this to be a date?" he asked, before reaching out to start their ride again.

When the carriage jolted to a start once more, Emma threw out her hands to steady herself.

But she needn't have bothered.

Jones had already wrapped one strong arm around her waist, to keep her steady.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**


	11. Chapter 10

This time, when Jones's hand landed on the small of her back, to guide her out of the elevator and into the restaurant, she didn't flinch away from the contact.

Given its location, Emma was surprised by the clientele the restaurant had attracted. There were a few groups of people gathered around larger tables that looked like they had decided to stop in on their lunchbreaks, wearing business suits and sharp dresses. But the majority of the tables were smaller, set for two people, and occupied by couples clearly out on lunch dates, as they chatted together over their appetizers.

"Holy crap. This is a date," Emma whispered, as they approached the hostess who already had her megawatt smile turned their way.

Jones simply raised a brow at her, before he turned his attention to the woman ready to seat them. "Reservation's under Jones," he told her.

"Of course. If you'll both follow me, please?"

Their hostess guided them over to one of the small, intimate tables that had been set for two, beside the large floor-to-ceiling windows. Emma couldn't help the small gasp of surprise that left her as she took in the views they had to offer.

She'd done all of the usual tourist attractions when she'd first moved to New York, but since then, her time in high-rise buildings had been limited. From where she was now sat, Emma had a perfect view looking out over the Hudson River, and the people gathering around it that were making the most of the early signs of spring, on their free weekend.

"I'll leave you to have a browse through the menu. A server will be over shortly to take your orders," their hostess instructed. "Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"

Jones turned his eyes to Emma, to indicate that her order should be taken first, and she smiled at the gentlemanlike tendencies he was already displaying.

"Diet Cola for me, please."

At Jones's declaration that he would have the same their hostess made her retreat, and Emma turned to offer her full attention to the menu sat in front of her. "Holy crap," she mumbled, as she took in the prices listed next to each of the appetizers. She didn't even want to turn the page to see what their mains would be costing them both. Emma wasn't exactly the stereotypical broke student you always saw portrayed in the media. Betty paid her fairly well, given that she basically worked in retail. And Emma had a habit of saving her money instead of spending it, so she'd built up a fair bit over the last five years.

She just didn't think she'd be spending a week's rent on her lunch when she left the apartment that morning.

"Hey," Jones called out softly, jolting her attention away from the leather-bound menu, and up to his face. "It's a date, remember? One I asked you on. Don't focus on the prices. Just order what makes you happy."

"Just so we're clear," she pointed out, "next time, I'm paying. But it might have to be lunch at McDonalds, if that's okay with you? New York is an expensive city to live in."

Jones chuckled at her words, but nodded his head in agreement. "As long as you're there, I'm sure I could swallow down a Big Mac. But you know… the next one doesn't even have to involve food," he teased.

Emma waited until their orders had been placed, and two ice-cold glasses of Cola had been sat before each of them, until she asked, "So… a date, huh? You couldn't have made that clearer in your message, so I could mentally prepare myself for this?"

"I thought my intentions with you had been perfectly clear," he replied softly. "Do you think I make a habit of regularly contacting students I've delivered a guest lecture to?"

"I don't know. Do you?" she wondered, flicking her eyes back up to meet his.

She could see the way the anger at her question darkened them. But this was something she needed to know before things went too far. Her career meant a lot to her, and Emma knew that any relationship with someone who had once taught her in any capacity could jeopardize that. While she was strongly attracted to Jones both physically and mentally, she could and _would_ push that aside, if he was only interested in making her a notch on his bedpost.

Jones cocked his head for a moment, regarding her silently as the heat behind his eyes simmered back down. "No," he replied eventually. "Look, I don't want you to think I'm bragging here, but I get hit on whenever I deliver a lecture on a regular basis. Everyone seems to have this glorified notion of how sexy forbidden romances are. But they're not. There's nothing sexy about losing your job. Or being arrested, because you couldn't keep it in your pants. I have absolutely no desire to ruin the career and reputation I've spent more than half of my life building for myself, for a quick fling with a pretty student. If I wanted casual sex, I'd use Tinder."

"Then… what's so special about me?"

"Your mind," he whispered. "Your mind is a beautiful and fascinating place to be a part of, Emma."

"Beautiful and fascinating enough to risk your job and reputation?" she worried.

Jones's eyes flicked down to the tabletop briefly, before he brought them back up to meet hers. "I asked myself this when our emails started becoming more personal in nature," he explained. "I knew that was the time to end things, before they could go any further, if I felt it wasn't worth the risk. But Emma… I'm not your professor. While a few people will no doubt find this a little odd, I'm not breaking any laws. And I find you completely enchanting. So to answer your question… yes, I think you're beautiful and fascinating enough to risk any potential fallout that could come from us dating. As long as you're prepared to take that risk with me."

Emma fidgeted a little under the intensity burning behind his gaze. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one who had been over-analyzing their correspondence. And it was even nicer to know that Jones felt she was worthy of any fallout he may catch from forming a relationship with her. Because, as much as Emma was worried about the potential impact their relationship could have on her future, after speaking with Gloria that morning, she had come to the same conclusions he had.

He wasn't her professor.

He didn't have any influence over her grades.

And she certainly wasn't interested in him with the hopes that he would be able to pull any strings for her. If she was completely honest with herself, Emma knew she didn't need his help. She was doing just fine on her own.

She wanted a relationship with Jones because he had connected with her on a level that she'd never experienced before, with any of her peers.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," she stated, just as their server approached the table with their meals in hand.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	12. Chapter 11

Killian had waited until they'd taken a few bites of their appetizers, with Emma moaning her appreciation for the food, before he spoke again. "So, now that we've gotten all of the heavy stuff out of the way, and we've established that this is definitely a date, how about we lighten the mood a little?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea. What did you have in mind, Jones?"

"Jones?" he asked, raising a brow at her in question. "So… I'm gonna be Jones in both electronic communication form _and_ in person too?"

"It's what I've been calling you in my head," she shrugged, unapologetically.

"You are aware that my name is Killian, right?" he wondered.

"Yep. I did my research on you after we met."

Killian wasn't surprised by that. Emma had already more than proven herself a capable student. Researching him after his lecture was the first thing he'd have done, in her position.

"But you've never given me leave to call you by your first name. So in my head, you've always just been Jones. Does that offend you?" she worried.

"No, not at all. It's just… different. And for the record, you can call me Killian. I can't guarantee that I'll remember to keep calling you Swan though," he teased. "In my head, you've always just been Emma."

"I can live with just being Emma."

The two of them relaxed into a comfortable silence while they ate, just enjoying the good food they had in front of them, and the atmosphere of the restaurant. It was nice for each of them to be out with another who didn't feel the need to fill every moment with some kind of conversation. While Emma adored Ruby, her best-friend was definitely more chatty than she was. And it made eating out with her a little awkward, as she had a tendency to ask questions the moment Emma had filled her mouth with food.

"Are you originally from New York?" Killian asked eventually, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"No. I grew up in Boston," Emma explained. It was something else the two of them had in common. She knew Jones would be familiar with the city, given his time spent at Harvard university.

"It's a beautiful place. Not quite as big as New York."

"They don't have big cities back in Ireland?" she teased.

"Oh, we do," he chuckled. "But I'm pretty sure you could fit Dublin in Boston at least twice, with some room to spare. And I'm not sure I've ever been to a city as large as New York before. At least, not personality wise."

Emma could understand that. When she'd first moved to the city she had been blown away by the vibrancy of it all. The people there never seemed to stop. When one group slept, another awoke, bringing their own personality and feel to their surroundings. She could go anywhere, at any time, and there would always be someone around, doing something so unique that she'd have to stop for a moment just to take it all in.

"Do you miss home?" he asked innocently.

Emma laughed a little awkwardly as she explained, "I'm not trying to hide anything about myself here, but if you want to move on to lighter subjects, my past might not be the best place to start."

Killian tilted his head a little as he let her words sink in. She might not have said much, but suddenly parts of Emma Swan were starting to make more sense to him.

"I mean, I'm not ashamed of my past," she added quickly. "I've learned that it helped to shape me into the person I am today. But… it's probably not the best first date conversation topic."

"Okay. Well, when you're ready to talk about it, I definitely wanna hear about it," Jones assured her. "But, we'll move on to a slightly lighter subject, given how this date has already gone." He paused a moment to allow their server to clear away the now-empty plates, before asking, "What are your plans for the rest of the weekend?"

"Working and studying," she chuckled. "That's pretty much all I do on the weekend, unless it's a special occasion. I work the early shifts on Sundays, so it's not really a great idea to be out partying when you have to be up at four _am_."

"No, I suppose it's not," he agreed. "You don't exactly strike me as the partying type anyway."

"I just don't like wasting my money," she replied softly. "I know what it's like to go without because you don't have any. And I'd _really_ like to never experience that again."

Jones's eyes softened at her words, as he leaned across the table to squeeze her hand gently. "That's not something to be ashamed of, Emma. It's actually very responsible of you. When I look back on the years I spent in school, I very much wish I hadn't wasted so much of my time and money so frivolously."

"And how long ago was that?" Emma teased. Killian chuckled at the humor he saw dancing behind her eyes, as she added, "Are we talking years or decades?"

"Hey. I'm not _that_ old," he protested. "I still pull all-nighters and everything. I just need a lot of sleep the next day. And a couple of pots of coffee to get me through until then."

Emma snorted into her glass as their server returned with their main courses. She slid the plates down gently in front of each of them, before making a hasty retreat once more.

"Does the age thing bother you?" Jones asked softly. Emma couldn't be entirely sure, but the way he refused to lift his head to meet her eyes suggested he was a little worried about her reply.

"Nope," she told him honestly. "I'll admit that you're _very_ easy on the eye, which is nice, but it's your mind that holds the biggest attraction for me. And that usually comes with age and experience, right?"

"Right," he agreed, finally puling his eyes up to meet hers.

"Does it bother you?" she wondered.

"I thought it would. I mean no offence by this, but usually women of your age are less experienced. Not sexually," he hurried to clarify, as her eyes bulged a little, "I mean in the world in general. Although, now that I think about it, I'm actually pretty sure some of my former students of your age are probably more sexually experienced than I am."

Emma choked a little on the bite of pasta she was attempting to chew, but she had to agree with him there. She'd met a few of her fellow peers who had shared rather interesting accounts of their spring breaks with her before.

"It's just that they can come across as a little naïve and shallow at times. Like they don't fully understand what's waiting for them in the real world, when they finish school. But… I get the feeling that maybe you have more experience than I do in some areas of life."

Emma knew that he was hinting about her past, and she wasn't upset about that. She understood that although her childhood had been difficult, it had given her the drive and perspective she needed to succeed in her life. Something Jones had managed to pick up on throughout a few dozen emails, and a handful of in person conversations. Most of the people she knew either had no interest in learning about her history, or the reasons why she behaved and acted the way she currently did. But Jones was proving once again why she'd felt such a strong draw towards him so quickly.

He understood her, even without truly knowing her.

* * *

 **Thanks for all of your wonderful feedback on this story.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Sorry this one didn't post last week. I wasn't feeling well so I took the week off to rest.**

* * *

The rest of their lunch together passed by far too quickly for either of their likings. Emma soon found herself stood outside of the building once more, waiting for Jones to join her. He had held the door open for a woman in a wheelchair, and then followed her in to help her navigate the small elevators.

"So," he declared, startling her out of her thoughts. "How did I do? I haven't been on a first date for a while?"

"Really? I find that hard to believe, Jones."

"I lost someone I loved a few years back. Dating hasn't really held much of an appeal to me since then," he explained softly. "At least, not until now."

Emma wasn't really sure what to say to that. She'd known that Jones was probably risking more than she was, when it came to their relationship. Which was why she had been flattered when he'd told her that he thought she was worth taking a chance on. Hearing that he was also willing to take a chance on her for an entirely different reason, left her heart hammering away in her chest.

"You're not my rebound," he rushed to add, when she'd remained silent for far too long. "I've had a couple of first dates since then. What I said at lunch still stands. This isn't about scratching an itch. I just… you're the first person I've felt like I can be myself around, since her. And I guess that's why I'm a little more interested in dating now, than I was this time last year."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Emma offered. She felt like the words were not enough, they were never enough, but they were all she had to offer him in that moment. "I'm glad you think that I'm worth taking a chance on. And for the record, this was the best first date I've ever been on."

Jones nodded his agreement and the two of them stood in silence for the longest minute, just letting everything sink in. Emma wanted to offer up something about herself. She wanted to let him know that she trusted him with her secrets too. But it felt like the wrong time for that. The last thing she wanted was for Jones to think she was trying to compete with him over their tragic pasts.

"Thanks for lunch. Do you always tip so well?" she teased, in an attempt to lighten the mood a little.

Jones shrugged as he rocked back on his heels. "I've worked service industry jobs before. I know how much of a difference a good tip can make to someone's day."

"You're a good man, Killian Jones." Emma gave him a second to absorb her words, watching as a small smile pulled at his lips as he did, before she finally spoke again. "I really hate to say this but… I should probably get back to work. I'm pretty sure I've gone from accepting Gloria's kind gesture to abusing it by now."

"I dunno about that," he teased. "She seemed pretty happy when we left. Can I walk you back?"

"You don't have to do that. Unless you're still itching for a coffee fix?"

"Aren't you?" Jones raised a brow at her in question and Emma giggled a little to control the bolt of lust that shot through her body at the sight of it. She wasn't expecting that simple look to be so arousing. He inclined his head in the direction of the coffee shop, and Emma took that as her cue to start heading back.

"So, is it really the coffee you love, or are you just _that_ fascinated by me?"

Jones caught up to her quickly, matching his stride with hers as the back of his hand occasionally brushed against her own. "Well… the coffee's definitely an added bonus to my Saturdays."

Emma blushed at his confession, but a small thrill ran through her all the same. A large part of her loved that she'd managed to get under his skin so quickly, just as he'd gotten under hers.

"I like to get out of my apartment," he explained. "When I moved back to the city, I did some research to find the closest coffee shop to home. One that wasn't a big brand chain, because those tend to be busier and louder. Two situations not terribly conductive to a working environment. My search suggested your shop would be the best place to escape to. Sometimes it's nice just to have other people around you, even if you're not actively engaged in conversation with them, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." Emma often spent her free time in the library. She liked being around others who were studying just as hard as she was, rather than in the silence of her own apartment. There was something about the stillness and coldness of the place that often left her feeling uneasy, whenever she was alone in it for too long. While she and Ruby had done everything they could to make the apartment a home, it was still a little too similar to a lot of the group homes she'd grown up in, to shake that feeling of discomfort. "I like people watching too," she added.

"The people in this city are so fascinating to watch, aren't they? If the parks around here came with Wi-Fi I'd work outdoors just to watch the street performers. Some of those are more talented than the ones who are paid to perform."

Emma nodded her agreement, before a thought suddenly occurred to her. "We could um… we could always take that McDonalds I owe you to a park to eat? For our next date?"

"And when would that be?"

She stopped walking to turn and offer Jones her full attention. Emma wasn't surprised that his face was once again hard for her to read. He really was a damned good lawyer. But she thought she could just detect a hint of nervousness to his tone.

"My friend's birthday is next weekend, so my usual routine is gonna be off. But I um… I have half-days on Wednesdays. I could meet you somewhere after my last class?"

"Wednesday sounds good to me. I can pick you up after you finish, if you're happy with that?"

"I'd like that," she assured him.

She hadn't realized until that moment just how close the two of them were standing. Emma could almost feel the brush of his sweater against her chest, with every breath she took. She took a small step back to put some distance between them, and then sighed when she realized he had stopped her just outside of the coffee shop. "I guess I should get inside and relieve Gloria. She usually visits her grandchildren on Saturdays. And I think I've already taken too much of that time from her."

"Of course," he agreed. "I'll um… I'll send you a message tonight? Maybe we could actually exchange numbers and graduate from emails to text messages?"

"What's wrong with emails?" she asked, with mock outrage. "I happen to like our emails."

"Don't worry, Swan. I'll keep sending you the emails too." His eyes sparkled with his humor, and Emma was sure she'd never met anyone quite as beautiful as he was. "Have a good day at work." Jones leaned in to press a sweet kiss to her cheek. He had turned on his heels and started striding confidently away before she could even think to protest.

Emma finally pulled herself out of the haze he'd left her in when Gloria pushed open the door to ask, "How was your date? Was that a kiss I just saw?"

* * *

 **If you're on Tumblr, and you would like to take part, nominations are currently open for the Once Upon A Time Fandom Choice Awards. They're accepting nominations for fan fiction, fan art and fandom folk. So, go and check those out and get nominating! You can find them at ouatfandomawards.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	14. Chapter 13

Monday morning saw Emma and Ruby slipping out early, to head to their favorite part of the city for a little retail therapy. Their classes didn't usually start until after lunch, and while both girls normally spent their mornings either working or studying, they were making an exception that day to prepare for Ruby's upcoming birthday party.

"Are you updating your entire wardrobe?" she asked, as she watched her friend browse through the selection of Jeans the current store had to offer. Emma had already picked up seven new shirts, that had all been reduced to under ten dollars each, in the first three stores they had visited.

"I don't think I've bought new clothes since we got the apartment. Unless you count replacing the essentials that I wore holes into?" she threw back at Ruby. "I figured while this stuff was on offer, I'd grab some new things." She was also shopping for something a little less tired looking for her date later that week, but her friend didn't need to know that.

"What do you think of this?" Ruby asked, as she held up what looked to be a skin-tight red dress for her friend's approval. "Is it classy enough?"

"Maybe try it on?" Emma suggested. She knew that Ruby's taste in clothing was completely different to her own. So it was always better to tell her friend what looked good on her, rather than what Emma preferred on the hanger.

"Okay." Ruby grabbed a few more dresses that had caught her eye, before hurrying back to the changing rooms to try them on, while her friend continued perusing the racks. Emma wanted to find something nice for the party for herself, but so far, nothing had caught her eye.

She gave up looking when she'd exhausted all of the options the store had to offer for a second time, and instead headed back to try on the jeans she had picked out. It took Emma less time to work out which sizes she needed for each cut, than it did for Ruby to decide which dresses even looked good enough on her for Emma to see.

"Okay, we have two contenders," Ruby declared, as she finally pushed the door open to her small stall. "What do you think?"

The red dress she'd first picked out looked exactly how Emma had imagined it would. It clung to every one of Ruby's curves, accentuating her friend's killer figure, and making her look gorgeous. But it wasn't appropriate for the restaurant Graham had booked for the party.

"It's pretty," Emma assured her. "Maybe a little too nightclub, and a little less fancy restaurant though."

"Okay," Ruby sighed. "I'll get it for our next clubbing night. Give me five minutes to change into the black one."

As Ruby changed out of one dress and into another, Emma took a seat on one of the long benches in the hallway, to pull out her phone. There had been an email waiting for her from Jones when she had finished work Saturday night. As he'd promised, he'd included his cellphone number in it too. Since then, the two of them had still exchanged daily emails, but there were also little text messages sent between them too, about random things that caught their attention throughout the day.

 **I'm out shopping for a dress with Ruby, and it's not going well.**

 **Distract me?**

Emma didn't have to wait long for him to reply. Since they'd switched to texting, his messages had been almost instant.

 _Define, "not going well."_

She chuckled as she sank back into her seat to make herself more comfortable. Of course he'd go all lawyer mode on her simple statement.

"What are you laughing at?" Ruby called through the locked door.

"Cat videos," Emma lied again. She hated not being honest with her friend, but she wanted to see what would become of this thing with Jones, before she started telling others about their relationship. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin both of their reputations for a relationship that wasn't going to last past the end of the month.

 **The things I do like are either not available in my size, or are way over my budget.**

 **What's available in my size and my price range - I don't like.**

 **So… not going well.**

 **How's your day been?**

 _I'm sure you'll find something soon. New York is a big city, after all. I hear it's even known for its fashion._

 _(Not that I have firsthand experience in this area)._

 _My day's been okay._

 _I've just been asked to speak at a big conference next month in Las Vegas._

 **Oh, Vegas! I've always wanted to go.**

 **Ethics again?**

 _Yeah._

 _It seems a little ironic to be delivering a lecture on professional ethics in a city with a reputation for unethical behavior._

Emma bit her tongue to stop the laugh building inside of her from escaping, and quickly stuffed her phone away as the door to Ruby's cubicle unlocked and creaked open once more.

"Okay. What about this one?" she asked, twirling for her friend.

"Prefect," Emma assured her. "It's classy, still sexy, and you won't have to worry about your boobs falling into your food every time you bend over."

Ruby snorted out a laugh at her friend's comment, as she moved to hug her. "See? This is why I make you come with me. Nobody else would warn me about the boob issue."

"It's a job I begrudgingly accept, and will do my best to deliver on."

Ruby made her way back into the changing room to wiggle out of the dress and into her jeans once more, as she called out, "Have you still not found anything yet, Ems?"

"I'm not really a flowery pattern kinda girl," Emma explained. "I'm sure I'll find something eventually."

"Do you wanna give up today, or keep going?" Ruby knew that shopping wasn't something her friend loved to do. And now that she'd found a dress for the weekend, if Emma felt like she'd had enough, Ruby would gladly call it a day and drag her out to a different part of the city later in the week.

"I think maybe we should hit one more, and then grab lunch?" Emma hated admitting defeat, but she was starting to get frustrated. All she really wanted to do was review her notes before her afternoon classes.

"We can definitely do that," Ruby assured her, unlocking the cubicle door one final time, to make her way back out to the front of the store. "Let's go pay and get out of here."

* * *

The last store the girls visited that morning happened to be the winning store for Emma. When she pushed through the front door and found not a single flowery pattern in sight, she knew she was in the right place.

It had taken her less than ten minutes to find three dresses she liked, and roughly the same amount of time for Ruby to assure her that the hot-pink dress she'd tried on was the one she should buy.

The two of them finally headed to a small café not far from campus three hours after they had left home, with plenty of new purchases weighing them down.

* * *

 **Sorry for the lack of Emma and Jones interactions in this one. I promise I'll make up for it in the next chapter (or five).**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	15. Chapter 14

Emma was feeling a little more confident in herself by the time Wednesday rolled around. The weather seemed to be on her side, as there wasn't a cloud in sight when she pulled open her drapes. She left the house that morning dressed in a pair of her new jeans; a white vest; and a plaid button-down. She'd considered putting more effort into her look when she was applying her makeup, but had ultimately decided against it. Not only would it make Ruby suspicious, but Emma had four hours of classes to sit through before she'd be seeing Jones again. And in the end, her desire for comfort won out over her desire to wow him.

Her morning passed as it usually did, split between lectures and smaller class projects, where she and Ruby worked together quietly on the problems they'd been given. It was only as they were leaving their final class for the day that everything changed.

"I'm um… I'm gonna head to the library," Emma explained, as she and Ruby made their way out of the bustling building that had held their last lecture. "I need to get some work done before the weekend."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Ruby asked frowning. Normally they met with some friends to grab lunch together off campus, before splitting up for the afternoon.

"Nah. You guys go ahead as usual. I'll be fine."

Ruby didn't look terribly convinced by her friend's blasé attitude, but she didn't push the issue either. She knew better than anyone that it was always best to wait for Emma to come to her, than it was to push her friend to talk. So instead, she fixed a smile on her face as she leaned in to press a kiss to Emma's cheek. "Okay. Don't work too hard and make sure you eat," she warned. Emma had skipped meals one too many times before, in the name of studying.

"I will do."

* * *

Emma had messaged Jones that morning, asking him to meet her off campus. She knew how difficult it could be to park there, and she didn't want to run the risk of someone she knew seeing her getting into his car. Especially if that someone was Ruby. Instead, the two of them had agreed to meet at a Starbucks close to the campus. It would likely be packed with students, but as it was on the other side of the law school, it was unlikely that she would be spotted by anyone who knew her, or that would recognize Jones from his guest lecture.

Thankfully, the walk to the shop was just as pleasant as the one to campus had been that morning. Emma was grateful for that, as she'd opted to leave her jacket at home for the day. It meant that their plans to people watch at the park, by the Hudson river, wouldn't be spoiled by unpredictable weather.

She was just about to pull open the door to the store when a hand shot out from the side of the building, and gave her arm a gentle tug.

"I wouldn't bother. The coffee's not as good as this little place I know a few blocks away from here."

Emma chuckled as she turned to face her date for the afternoon. He was leaning casually against the side of the building, dressed in a pair of light jeans; a black undershirt; and a light blue button-down. Jones was clearly enjoying the afternoon sun, and it was certainly being good to him. Emma marveled at the way the brightness of the light caught his hair, making it look a little red in some places, and beautifully dark in others. The warmth of the day only seemed to enhance the beauty of his smile, making Emma's heart flutter that little bit faster in her chest.

As she finished her perusal of his form, she noticed that he was holding a paper cup in each hand. "Is one of those for me?" she asked.

"No. I just had a _really_ long night." When she frowned over at him, Jones held out the cup in his left hand. "Of course it's for you. I had to take a guess based on your preferences at Betty's." He looked a little unsure of himself once more, as he brought his free hand up to scratch behind his ear.

Emma bent her head to take a small sip of the liquid inside, before she smiled down at the cup in her hand. "Not bad, Jones. Not bad at all." While it wasn't what she would normally drink at work, it was the closest she could get to it at Starbucks. She hadn't realized he'd been paying such close attention to her own preferences.

Killian's confidence seemed to return at her praise, as he pushed himself away from the wall to make his way over to her side. He hesitated for the briefest of moments, before allowing his hand to settle on her lower back, gently guiding Emma over to where he had parked his car.

"So… did you start people watching early, or is there another reason why you're lurking outside?"

"I always enjoy a spot of people watching," he chuckled. "But yes, I thought it best to wait out here for you. I assume you haven't told your friend about us yet. And if I'm correct, she's in there right now with some guys from the football team."

Emma's eyes widened in shock as she craned her head around to look through the windows. The shop was as busy as she had expected it to be. And while she couldn't spot Ruby inside, she found Graham and Walsh easily enough to know that her best friend wouldn't be far away.

The group usually went to a small café on the other side of campus on Wednesday afternoons. It was a tradition they had been following since their very first week at school together. And it was exactly why Emma had suggested meeting Jones at Starbucks. She hadn't expected her friends to deviate from their normal plans, just because she wasn't a part of them.

"Shall we?" Killian asked, inclining his head to indicate that they should keep moving, before Emma's friend could see them together. "My car's parked not far from here, if you wanna drive a little further out?"

"That might be for the best," she agreed with a grimace. "I mean, I'm not ashamed of you or anything. I just…"

"You wanna see where this is going before you out us," he finished for her.

"Yeah. You're not angry with me, are you?" Emma risked a look over at him from underneath her lashes, but Jones was still smiling down at her.

"Not at all, Emma. You're just protecting yourself _and_ your professional reputation. In a way, you're even protecting mine. It's the sensible thing to do."

"Thanks." She finally relaxed a little when they approached the parking lot, and Jones guided her over to a vaguely familiar looking car. "Mercedes," she pointed out unnecessarily, running her hand over the shiny black paintwork of the car's body. "Nice."

"Thank you," he chuckled. "There was a dealership close to the school I attended as a lad. I always used to walk past it and tell me Mam that when I grew up, I was gonna earn enough money to buy myself one. She passed away before I graduated, but when I finally had the need for a car of my own, the first place I thought of going to was a Mercedes dealership."

"It's a nice a car," she assured him, as she pulled open the door to slide into the passenger's seat. "I'm sure your mother would be very proud of everything you've achieved in your life, Killian."

He settled himself comfortably into the driver's seat, before a wide smile began pulling at his lips. "Thank you. I'm sure you're right," he agreed, as he turned his attention back out of the windshield, and started the engine. "And don't think I didn't notice you calling me Killian just then."

Emma hadn't realized she'd done it, until Jones pointed it out to her. She blushed a little at the unintended slip, turning her gaze down to her hands. Somehow, the use of his given name felt far more intimate than any of their other encounters had been up until now. "Yeah, yeah," she scoffed, attempting to keep her tone light. "Don't get too used to it, _Jones_. Now… head left out of here and keep straight. I'll tell you when you need to turn."

"Aye, aye Captain," he shot back at her, before he eased the car smoothly out of the parking lot. They were only halfway down the road when a thought suddenly occurred to him, and he shot a quick look over to Emma to ask, "Are we really headed to a McDonalds today?"

"Hell yeah," she chuckled. "I've been craving a Big Mac ever since I mentioned it to you on our first date."

* * *

 **As always, thanks for all of your wonderful feedback on this story. It continues to blow me away.**

 **A special thanks to Lexan, Talz, Alexa and all of the other guest reviewers for their comments.**

 **For those of you asking about a posting schedule - my aim is to update this story every Tuesday evening. Teasers are sent out with review replies, before I share one Tumblr, either Sunday/Monday afternoon.**


	16. Chapter 15

Jones looked a little awkward stood inside of the McDonalds restaurant Emma had directed him too. It was painfully obvious that the man probably hadn't eaten in one for at least a decade, but when it came time to place their orders he happily selected a meal of his own, and a thick chocolate milkshake to accompany it. Once their food was safely packed in the typical brown bags, Jones guided Emma back to his car with his hand once again resting on her lower back, as they chatted about their mornings and sipped at their drinks.

It didn't take them long to drive back to one of the parks close to the river, and Jones was soon pulling the vehicle into a spot ready for their date. While Emma grabbed their food from inside of the car, he made his way round to the trunk to fetch a tartan blanket he'd placed there earlier that afternoon, before he joined her once more.

"Someone was prepared," Emma teased.

"I wasn't sure if the grass would be damp," he explained, as he followed her through the small groups of people that were already sat around talking and eating, to the spot she seemed to deem perfect for the two of them.

She waited just long enough for him to spread out the blanket, over the ground, before she folded herself down to sit on it, and began pulling out their food. "So, are you ever gonna tell me how old you are?" she asked, as she sorted her own containers to her very precise liking.

"Did you not find that out during your research?" he wondered, frowning down at the meal he'd picked for himself. Somehow, it didn't seem to hold the same magical appeal it once had, when he'd been a young lad.

"I didn't, actually. I discovered most of your past educational history, and some of your biggest lectures. But none of the sites I checked gave your date of birth." Emma paused for a moment to nibble on a few of her fries before they went cold. "I mean, I could take an educated guess. But most of that would be based on the assumptions that you never took gap a year, never had to retake a year, or never skipped a year. So I figured it would just be easier to ask you instead."

"And if you had to take a guess, what would you guess at?" he pushed.

The hardest part of tracking down Jones's past had been filling in the gaps since he'd graduated. If he'd stuck with the traditional educational path, Emma knew he'd at least be in his mid-thirties. But she had a feeling that given the reputation he'd built for himself amongst the legal ethics community, he was probably a little older than that.

"Will you be offended if I guess too high?" she worried.

"Not at all. I'm curious to see if you think I look as old as I feel."

"For the record, you don't look as old as I think you are," she warned, before mumbling, "I'd guess around mid-thirties?" Jones cringed a little and Emma took that as the universal sign that she'd aimed too low. "You know that it doesn't bother me, right? I'd already accepted that you were at least a decade older than me. Adding a few more years to that isn't gonna change anything between us."

"I'm thirty-seven," he explained. "A full decade and a half older than I imagine you are." Emma nodded to confirm his suspicions about her age. "Are you sure you're still not bothered by that?"

"Not at all," she assured him. "You didn't get any less attractive just because you were two years older than I thought you were. And like I said before, I find your mind truly fascinating. That's something that could only come from having experience in the legal world. But there is something I'm curious about myself… does my age put you off at all? I mean, how are your friends gonna react when they find out about me?"

"No," he replied softly, reaching out to run his fingertips over the back of her hand. "It doesn't put me off at all. You're still the same beautiful, intelligent woman who managed to completely captivate me with her emails. And if my friends can't see that when they meet you, then that's their loss. I certainly won't let it be mine just because of the views of some narrow-minded individuals."

Emma blushed an adorable shade of red under both his touch and his praise, as she teased, "I bet you say that to all of the girls who email you."

Neither of them said anything for the longest moment, as they allowed their words to fully sink in. Instead, they were content to take in the views around them while they ate the lunch that Emma had insisted on buying for the two of them.

"How's the McDonalds?" she finally asked, after Jones had eaten roughly half of his burger.

"Not as exciting as I remember it being as a child."

"Yeah. I get that," she snorted. "I remember being so excited for them when I was younger, and lucky enough to get to visit one. Back then, they were always seen as the ultimate reward. So one of the first things I did when I left for college was buy myself a meal there, to celebrate my independence. And it was _so_ disappointing."

"Then why on Earth are we still eating this?" Killian wondered, as he frowned down at what was left of his meal.

"Because as an adult, I learned the bestway to eat your fries," she explained, while peeling off the lid of her milkshake cup.

"What the hell are you doing?" Killian asked, as he watched her pick up a small handful of fries, and swirl them through the thick liquid inside of the paper container.

Instead of eating them herself, Emma held them out to him expectantly.

"Try them. It tastes better than it looks."

Jones didn't look convinced. In fact, he looked thoroughly repulsed by the idea. But he didn't want to disappoint his date. So he screwed his eyes shut, took a deep breath in, and leaned forward to close his lips around the fingers holding out her frankly odd offering.

The fries themselves weren't as disgusting as he was anticipating them being. But Kilian wasn't terribly focused on that.

Instead, all he could think about was the sharp intake of breath Emma had sucked in the moment his lips had touched her fingers, and the slightly sweet taste of her skin that he was treated to, just before the saltiness of the fries and the vanilla of the milkshake overpowered it.

Killian wanted more of that taste.

When he finally opened his eyes again, it was to find that Emma had swayed a little further into his space. Her gaze was firmly fixed on his mouth, and her pupils were blown wide.

"What do you think?" she asked, her voice a little shaky from the strangely erotic moment they had just shared, in the middle of a public park.

"I think I wanna kiss you."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	17. Chapter 16

Emma could see the conflict playing behind Jones's eyes. It was possibly the most vulnerable she'd seen him look, since the two of them had first met. A part of him seemed like he wanted to kiss her and never stop. But the other part was clearly worried about pushing things too far, too fast.

So she decided to make the decision for him.

His eyes fluttered shut just as her lips made contact with his, brushing softly against them in a gentle kiss that left both of them desperate for more. His hand came up to slide along her jawline and into her hair, as Killian tilted his head slightly to deepen their movements. The gentle pressure of his kiss became a little more demanding, as she sucked softly on his bottom lip.

He reluctantly pulled away before he could completely lose himself in the softness of Emma Swan, resting his forehead against her own to catch his breath for a moment. When his eyes finally blinked open once more, it was to see her looking up at him with the most breathtaking smile on her face.

"You're so beautiful," he told her, as he allowed his fingers to linger, tracing the lines of her jaw.

"Thank you. You know, you're not so bad yourself, Jones," she teased, dropping her eyes back down to the blanket to cover her blush. "We um… we should probably bin this stuff before we end up with ants everywhere," she mumbled suddenly, as her eyes settled on what was left of their lunch.

Jones snorted out a laugh at her sudden change of direction, but helped her to gather everything up, before he jogged it over to the bin to dispose of it. When he made it back to their spot it was to find Emma stretched out on her back, with her eyes closed.

"Are you tired?" he worried, as he lowered himself down to sit beside her.

"Nope. I just thought I'd make the most of doing nothing for a while. Wednesday afternoons are usually spent either studying, working on papers, or at work. I don't remember the last time I had a free afternoon to just do nothing."

Jones stretched himself out across the blanket, but instead of laying down, he used his arms to prop himself up, as he watched the groups of people around them interact with each other. "We could always try and make this a regular thing?" he suggested carefully. "I mean, obviously if you need to work, or study, we can reschedule. But there's such a thing as doing _too much_ , Emma. Having a few hours just to relax is always a good thing."

Emma rolled her head around to face her date, but his eyes were focused on something happening in the distance. "Is this your way of telling me that my cheap McDonalds date wasn't _actually_ that bad, and that you might wanna do it again?"

Jones chuckled as he finally brought his eyes back to her. The way the sunlight caught her hair, as it blew gently around her face with the breeze, made her look almost angelic. "Yes," he confessed, reaching out to brush a few wayward strands away from her face. "But without the McDonalds next time."

"I'm offended," Emma gasped. "But I guess we could always stop somewhere for sandwiches or salads?"

"I could pack us a picnic."

Emma lifted herself up onto her own elbows as she looked over at Jones. "You wouldn't mind? I mean, I'm at school all morning, so unless you wanna meet me an hour later at my place, there's not much I could contribute to it."

"Of course I don't mind," he assured her. "To be honest, as long as it involves spending some more time with you, I'm happy to eat whatever you'd prefer. Even if it is from the occasional fast food outlet."

Emma leaned forward to brush a soft kiss to the corner of Jones's lips at his sweet words. It was the kind of kiss that had him twisting around to capture her lips with his own once more.

* * *

"Okay. The dog walker?" she asked.

Jones turned to follow her gaze, catching sight of the middle-aged woman who was walking her dog through the park, with her phone pressed firmly to her ear.

Since he'd broken their second kiss, Emma had excused herself to buy them both an ice cream cone from the small stand not far from where they were sat. When she had returned, they'd fallen easily into a lighthearted observation game.

He took a moment just to watch his new target, assessing her body language carefully before he declared, "She's arguing with her husband."

Emma snorted into her cone as she asked, "Care to elaborate on that?"

"She's clearly married. You can see the glint of her rings when the light catches them as she moves." At Emma's nod of agreement he added, "And given the way she looked at that group of joggers that passed her a few moments ago, I'm gonna take a chance and say she prefers guys over gals. That phone call clearly isn't going well. You can tell from the way she keeps stopping suddenly. Every time she does, her hand clenches the phone a little tighter, and her shoulders creep up a little higher. Then, when whoever it is on the other end says something she agrees with, she relaxes both her grip and shoulders, and starts walking again."

Emma watched as the woman in question did exactly what Jones had just explained, before she turned wide eyes back his way. They'd been assessing the people around them, based on their own interpretations of body language, for a while now. But every time Jones made an assumption of his own, he blew her observations out of the water.

"How the hell did you notice all of that?"

"Well, my eyesight's fantastic," he quipped. Emma reached out to playfully slap at his chest, and Jones caught her hand in his own, lacing their fingers together. "But after a few years in this profession you get used to the signs. Plus… I wasn't as distracted by the dog as you were." He nudged her shoulder playfully with his own, as Emma chuckled a little at having been caught out.

"True. But look how cute he is."

"Don't let yourself be distracted by the cute." he gently chided, softening the blow of his words by pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "If I did that, I'd never have taken my eyes off you. People will pull all manner of stunts in a court of law to try and distract you from the truth. If you can push aside those distractions then you're more likely to uncover whatever it is they're trying to hide from you."

Emma leaned into his side to rest her head against his upper arm. "Thank you," she whispered softly. She knew that his criticism wasn't meant to offend her, but to help her. And she also knew that she would be insane not to listen to it. Jones had more than proved from their little game just how observant he could be in a busy setting.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how majestic he would be in a courtroom, dressed in a sharp suit, as he presented his case.

"Are you okay?" he asked, as he let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders, when he felt a slight shiver run through her body.

"Yep," she assured him, trying her best to avoid his gaze. "I was just imagining how sexy you'd be in an actual courtroom. It's probably best you stuck to academia. You'd give all the women in the room a heart attack if they had to watch you present a case. Not that the female students fare much better," she added offhandedly.

Jones snorted into her hair as he dropped a brief kiss to it, lingering a little longer than he had intended, to allow the wonderful coconut scent of it to fill his senses. "I hope that, maybe one day, I'll get the honor of watching you present a case in court."

Emma said nothing, but pushed herself into his embrace a little more firmly, as the dog walker they had been observing a few moments before strode past them. She was finally close enough for the two of them to catch the tail end of her conversation.

"I don't care what James said. You're _my_ husband, not _his_. We are going to visit my mother on Friday. And that's final."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	18. Chapter 17

"Thanks for this afternoon," Emma whispered softly, as Jones rolled the car to a stop a few doors down from her apartment. She hadn't wanted to run the risk of Ruby being home early, and seeing her climb out of a stranger's car. So she'd asked him to park up a little further down the street.

"You were the one who bought us lunch," he chuckled. "I should be thanking you."

"Well… I wouldn't turn down more of those kisses if you really want to show your thanks," she teased

Killian laughed a little more as he reached down to release his seatbelt, and then leaned in to meet Emma half way. He brushed a series of soft, sweet kisses to her lips, before reluctantly pulling back. As much as he wanted nothing more than to lose himself in the woman who had completely captivated him since the moment she'd first approached him, he knew that he'd already flirted with temptation enough that day.

"I um… I should go," Emma said, as she pulled back to smile up at him. "Ruby's gonna get suspicious soon."

"Of course. Will I see you Saturday afternoon?"

"Yep. You know where to find me," she joked, as she pushed open the car door, and forced herself to climb out. It took everything Emma had not to turn around when the door clicked shut behind her, and instead, focus on the short walk up the road to her apartment building. She knew that if she turned back to see him watching her go, she'd end up running back to his car and begging Jones to take them away somewhere, to share much more than a few kisses.

Killian waited until he saw her enter safely, before he started the engine to head back to his own apartment. There might not have been much distance between the two, but he hated that Emma and her friend were living in such a rough area of the city, due to the cost of renting. The two women should be able to walk home safely at night, without the fear of what may be lurking in the shadows.

Emma wasn't surprised to see her friend already home when she unlocked the front door. She'd spent more time with Jones than she had intended too. And she knew that Ruby always aimed to make it back to the apartment before dark, whenever either of them were out alone.

"Jesus Christ," her friend snapped, "Where the hell have you been? And so help me Emma, if you mention another fucking cat again I'm gonna slap you."

"I was um…"

"You were not at the library," Ruby cut her off. "I know that because I went _back_ to the library to find you. I even called a few times to see if you were there, just in case you'd stepped out at the _exact_ moment I decided to look for you. But nobody had seen you all day."

"I'm sorry," Emma sighed, as she dropped down next to Ruby on the sofa. She hadn't meant to worry her friend, and she felt awful seeing the concern that was currently hidden behind Ruby's anger. "You're right. I wasn't at the library. I um… I was on a date."

"Then why the hell didn't you just say that?" her friend demanded. "It would have saved me a ton of calls and running around tonight."

"I don't know," she admitted.

And she truly didn't.

Emma might not have been ready to name her date, but she knew that Ruby never would have pushed for that information. If she'd just explained her reasons for keeping it to herself, her friend would have been happy to respect her privacy.

"I guess I was just worried that nothing would ever come of it. And I didn't want to make myself look stupid."

"I'd never judge you for that, Ems. You know that."

"I know. I do. I just… this is so new, Ruby. And I _like_ him. I _really_ like him. But…he's older than me, and I know other people will judge us for that. So I guess I just sort of decided that it was best to keep it to myself. At least until I knew where everything was going."

Ruby's face softened at her friend's confession, and she reached over to take Emma's hand into her own. "You could have told me all of that. I'd have respected your decision to keep the details to yourself. You didn't need to lie to me about where you were going, or what you were doing."

"I know, and I'm truly sorry." Emma sighed as she looked down to her feet. She hated that her actions had hurt her friend. That was the last thing she had wanted to do. "I guess I kinda made the decision to keep it quiet, and then didn't think about how you'd never betray my trust anyway. I promise, next time, I'll tell you what's happening. Even if I'm not ready to tell you who it's happening with."

"Next time?" Ruby asked. "Does that mean your date didn't go well?"

Emma snorted out a laugh as she fiddled with the cuffs on her shirt. "Actually, it went really well. That's kinda why I was so late back. I wasn't expecting to spend the whole afternoon with him."

Ruby's anger melted completely at the dreamy look on her friend's face. It was something she'd never seen before.

When they'd first met, Emma had been adamant that she wasn't interested in dating, and that she'd rather focus on her studies. That had changed in the middle of their second year, when she'd met a guy that had managed to break down her walls, and convince her he was worthy of her time. Neal had seemed like a good guy. He wasn't terribly interested in any of the things Emma was most passionate about, but they'd managed to find some common ground together. And he'd made her friend happy.

For a few months.

Neal's betrayal had stung Emma harder than Ruby had expected it to. Ever since then, her friend had closed herself back up again, opting for one-night-stands over relationships, as a way to protect her heart. Most of the guys who tried pursuing Emma gave up fairly quickly, when they realized they wouldn't be getting anywhere.

Apart from Walsh.

For that reason alone, Ruby had been sure that he would be the one to finally break through that outer shell, and convince Emma that dating was worth the risk. Of course, Walsh had been with Ruby and Graham all day. So she knew he was definitely notthe new guy in her best friend's life.

"When you say older… how much older are we talking?" Ruby wondered. "Because everyone knows that men don't mature at the same rate we women do. So if it's less than five years, you can just ignore the difference."

Emma chuckled as she stood up to grab herself a drink. She didn't want to give too much away to Ruby. Her best friend wasn't stupid, and it wouldn't take her long to piece together the bits and pieces she did reveal, to get to Killian Jones. But being able to say something was nice, so instead of answering her friend's question, she simply threw back, "He's still older than me using that theory."

"Damn girl. Are we talking sugar daddy levels here?"

Emma choked a little on the mouthful of soda she was attempting to swallow in that moment. While she knew that Jones was older than she was, she'd never thought of him as her sugar daddy. And she cringed a little at the thought that other people probably would, when their relationship became public knowledge.

"Can we just agree right now to _never_ use that term again?" she asked, as she turned back to hand Ruby her own bottle of Diet Cola. "It's _not_ sexy."

"Oh, I dunno…. I can think of a few sugar daddies who are quite sexy," Ruby teased.

"This is exactly why I didn't tell you anything," Emma giggled, as she made her way through to her bedroom to fire up her laptop.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	19. Chapter 18

Emma wasn't surprised when the small bell above the coffee shop's door rang just before her lunchbreak. She lifted her head from the cabinet she had been busy filling to find Jones standing on the other side of the counter, wearing a bright smile just for her.

"Good afternoon," she greeted.

"It is now," he chuckled.

Before she could say anything else, Gloria called out a, "Good afternoon, Dr. Jones," from the kitchen. While Jones spoke with the older woman about their weeks, Emma turned away to busy herself preparing his usual order. When she was finished with Jones's coffee she made one for herself, before carrying both mugs over to a small table in the corner of the room. It didn't take long for Jones to slide into the chair opposite her own, as he placed a paper bag onto the table between them.

"Gloria said this was one of your favorites," he explained, as he pulled out a small tray of salad and slid it across the table for Emma's approval, before removing an identical tray of his own.

"Gloria was right," Emma confirmed. "This is my favorite place to eat in the city. It's reasonably priced, their portions are big enough to cover two meals, _and_ they have the bestranch dressing in New York."

Killian chuckled as he watched her take a stab at the mixed leaves in her tray, before adding a good chunk of chicken to the fork. Emma swirled the entire combination through the dressing that had been smeared onto the lid, and then slipped the fork into her mouth. The appreciative moan she gave at the explosion of flavor had him groaning a little in frustration.

He would bet his car that Emma Swan had no idea just how unintentionally sexy she was.

"So, tell me about yesterday's class," he asked instead, as a way to try and distract himself. "You were saying you weren't keen on the professor who gave it?"

"Yeah," Emma sighed. "I kinda got the feeling that he doesn't like me. Even though he'd never met me before yesterday. Does that make sense?"

Killian hummed thoughtfully for a moment. He couldn't imagine anyone disliking Emma. Not only was she an inherently good person, but she was also committed to her studies, driven to succeed, _and_ she had a brilliant mind.

She was an educator's dream come true.

"Maybe he was having an off day?" he suggested.

"Maybe," she agreed. "I guess I'll find out for sure next week."

"Do you have any work due for him?" Killian wondered.

"Not for a while. Why?"

"Send it to me when you do? I know I'm a little biased in my opinions, but I'd like to see if he's marking you fairly, on the off-chance that he does have something against you." As much as Killian truly believed that Emma's new professor had just been having an off day, he cared too much for her to allow someone with a personal grudge to pull her down.

Emma had worked too hard for that.

* * *

Gloria left a little earlier that weekend at Emma's insistence. With a quick wink in Dr. Jones's direction, she slipped out of the small shop with a spring in her step at the thought of spending the rest of her afternoon with her grandchildren.

As usual, the small shop was fairly quiet after the lunch rush, which left Emma busy tending to her regular duties. Jones worked quietly on his laptop as she did, preparing his lecture for the conference he had been invited to in Las Vegas. It was nice to have his quiet and steady presence in the building, without the constant chatter that Emma usually experienced. The two of them would exchange small smiles as Emma passed his table while she finished her usual duties. But other than that, they both dedicated their time to the work they had left to finish.

"Here you go," she eventually declared, about an hour before she was due to begin closing the shop. Emma slid a fresh mug of coffee in front of her boyfriend, and one of his favorite white chocolate chip and raspberry muffins too.

"You're too good to me," he sighed, as he finished typing his sentence, and then slipped an arm around her waist to pull her in closer.

Emma met him in the middle, leaning down to brush what she had intended to be a soft kiss to his lips. Only neither of them seemed to want to stop, and before she knew it, Emma had her hands buried in his soft hair. Jones slid his own arms up her back to wrap around her, as he tilted her head to deepen their kiss.

The moment his brain began urging him to push down a little on her shoulders, so that Emma would end up straddling his lap, was the moment Killian knew he needed to slow things down. He cared for Emma far too much to risk rushing into anything, and the middle of her place of work certainly wasn't the time for them to explore thatpart of their relationship.

"I um… I should get back to work," Emma mumbled, when she pulled back from him. Her lips were slightly swollen from his kisses, and she had a beautiful blush covering her face and chest from his attention.

She'd never looked more beautiful to him than she did in that moment.

"Me too." He flicked his eyes down to the screen of his laptop for a brief second, before settling them back on her face again. "Let me know if I'm in your way?"

"You're not," she snorted. "It's kinda nice having you here, even if we're not able to sit and chat all day."

When the chime from the small bell over the door sounded, Emma left to greet her next customer before Killian could say anything else. But her words had sent his brain into overdrive.

 _She was right._

Even though the two of them were busy with their own work, being in each other's company was far more pleasant than he had expected it to be. Emma didn't feel the need to fill the comfortable silence around them with mindless chatter, like most of his previous dates had. And she didn't hover around him either, reading over his shoulders. She was perfectly content to go about her own business, just sending him the occasional small smile to let him know that she was thinking of him.

Killian had never been able to imagine their potential future together more clearly than he could in that moment. His mind was filled with images of what could be. One of them busy working, either preparing lectures or a case for court, while the other busied themselves making dinner. There would be soft smiles and gentle touches as they went about completing their tasks. But more than anything else, there would be comfort and understanding between the two of them.

Killian had never believed himself to be an overly domestic person before. But as he sat there that afternoon, watching Emma prepare coffee for a complete stranger, he realized that he'd never wanted that future more than he did right then.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **Special thanks go to Lexan, Talz Alexa, Halfkender and all of the other lovely guests for their wonderful reviews. I'm sorry I can't reply to them in person.**


	20. Chapter 19

"Come on, Emma. What's taking you so long?" Ruby called out, as she tapped her foot impatiently against the floor. Normally her friend was the one who would be left waiting whenever they were getting ready to go out for the night.

Ruby wasn't used to being done before she was.

Emma finally pulled the door to her room open looking a little harried, but absolutely beautiful in the pink dress she'd chosen earlier that week, and a pair of towering black heels. "I'm starting to think this dress was a bad idea," she mumbled, as she looked down at herself.

"Why? You look stunning," Ruby praised. "You do know you're not supposed to upstage the birthday girl, right?"

Emma threw her friend a look that clearly said Ruby wasn't helping to reassure her any. But before she could say anything else, the brunette snatched up her bag and jacket, and grabbed Emma's arm to march her out of the apartment.

"Hey," she protested weakly, but she knew it would do absolutely no good. Ruby was a woman on a mission.

* * *

When the two of them were seated at the table Graham had booked for the evening, Emma was relieved to see that she was neither underdressed nor overdressed for the restaurant, as she had worried. The few other people already seated in the dining room were all wearing pretty dresses and suits for their night out. She only hoped that someone had explained the dress code to Graham and his friends, for the venue they had chosen. They were the kind of guys who normally thought that adding a shirt to a pair of jeans meant they were dressing up for the night.

Being the first to arrive meant that Emma got to choose her own seat at the table, but unfortunately, all of the ones reserved for large groups of diners were round. Which meant Emma was leaving her free side open, and she knew Walsh would happily take advantage of that when he arrived.

"Can I set you ladies up with something to drink while you wait?" their server asked politely.

"Yes please," Ruby replied for them. "We'll each take a glass of rum and diet cola, thanks."

Emma threw a dirty look at her friend. They were both well aware that while she could handle her liquor well, once she had a few drinks inside of her she tended to lighten up a lot, and become far more chatty than she usually was. Emma didn't want to end up giving Walsh the wrong idea that evening. Or worse – drunkenly blurting out that she was dating one of her former guest lecturers to a table full of students.

Thankfully, they didn't have to wait long for the rest of their party to join them. Ruby had invited some of their fellow acquaintances from their shared classes, and while Emma wasn't overly close with the girls in question, she was happy to have some more female company around the table.

Unfortunately, as she had predicted, Walsh was quick to slide into the seat next to hers, with an overly-cheery, "Hey Emma," aimed more at her cleavage, than it was at her face.

Emma smiled tightly but was saved the hassle of coming up with some kind of reply when their server appeared once more, ready to take everybody's orders for the night.

* * *

"… _Happy birthday, Dear Ruby…. Happy birthday to you."_

The small table finished their chorus and the woman in question leaned forward to blow out the twenty-three candles that had been placed onto the chocolate cake Graham and Emma had ordered for her.

For as much as she had been hesitant about the evening, Emma found that she had actually enjoyed herself. Some of the other girls around the table had been happy to talk politics and law with her, while the others gossiped about their favorite reality shows, or who was sleeping with whom on campus.

Walsh had even behaved himself.

Mostly.

There had been a few moments at the beginning of the evening where it was obvious that he was starting at her chest, and not her face, or where he'd tried to slide his hand onto her thigh. But Emma had quickly brushed those encounters aside, before turning her attention to someone else in the group. It seemed like her tactics might finally be working in her favor, as Walsh had eventually moved on to trying to hook up with Belle, sat on his other side.

Emma did feel pretty sorry for the poor girl every time she caught her eyes over his head. But it was nice not to have to keep coming up with excuses to reject his advances all evening.

"I'm just gonna go and freshen up a little," she told Ruby, as she slid her napkin off her lap and onto the table, to slip out of her seat.

"Do you need me to come with you?"

Emma had always hated the stereotype that girls needed to visit the bathroom in small groups. She was an independent woman, who could certainly find her way there and back without needing any kind of assistance. So she shook her head at her friend's offer, and told Ruby, "Nah, you stay here and enjoy yourself. I won't be gone long."

Ruby was already giggling at the way the slight fluff on Graham's chin was tickling her neck, as he bent to place a kiss to her shoulder, before Emma had finished speaking. She gave her friend another fond glance, before finally making her way through the restaurant, and its slightly more crowded bar, to the restrooms at the back of the building.

It didn't take her long to use the facilities and wash up, although she did linger a little longer than necessary to touch-up her makeup. Once she had finished, Emma pulled her phone from her purse to check her messages, as she pushed open the door to the long, dark corridor that lead back out to the main room.

She smiled as she spotted Jones's name on her screen, and pulled open his message from over an hour earlier to see what he'd written.

 _Have fun tonight._

 _And stay safe!_

 _My friend David (from college) is back in town, and I'm joining him and his wife for dinner this evening. I hope I'll get a chance to speak with you when I'm back home. But I didn't want you to worry if you couldn't get hold of me._

Emma tapped out a quick reply telling Jones to enjoy his own evening, and not to worry about calling. She wasn't sure what time she would make it back to the apartment, and the two of them could always speak in the morning. When she was finished, she tucked her phone back into her purse, ready to head out to her friends and the birthday cake that was waiting for them.

But as Emma rounded the corner in the deserted hallway, she ran straight into someone walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry," she apologized, taking a step back to look at who she had collided with. Her eyes landed first on a crisp black shirt, stretched tightly across a toned torso, before they traveled up to the blue checked jacket that was covering it.

Whoever she'd walked into was male, and if the feel (and look) of his chest was anything to judge by, he was also incredibly handsome.

Before her eyes could flick up to his face she heard him suck in a deep breath, as he asked, "Emma? Is that you?"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	21. Chapter 20

"Jones?" she gasped out, taking in that familiar smirk and the twinkle that was usually present behind his eyes, whenever he was looking at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Dinner with David," he replied mechanically. "Wow… you um… you look…" He waved a hand up and down her body as if that would explain everything, while Emma looked down at herself.

She'd forgotten that he'd never seen her in anything more fancy than jeans and a shirt before. And now she was stood in front of him in what was quite possibly the tightest dress she'd ever owned, with her boobs pushed up a little higher than usual thanks to her extremely uncomfortable, but truly wonderful, bra.

"You look incredible," he finally praised, as he brought a hand up to stroke his thumb across his bottom lip.

That innocent action had never seemed so flirtatious before.

"Thanks." Emma blushed fiercely under his compliment. "You scrub up quite well yourself." She'd never seen Jones in a suit before either, and although he was without a tie, and the top few buttons of his shirt were undone, everything about him screamed professional and sexy that evening.

"You, um… you should wear dresses more often," he suggested with a slightly awkward chuckle. One that Emma matched, as she imagined the look on Gloria's face if she turned up for work next weekend in what she was currently wearing.

The poor woman would probably have a stroke.

"I'll take that under advisement."

"Are you uh… are you having a good night?" he finally asked.

Emma's eyes narrowed a little as she realized that she'd never heard Jones sound so hesitant before. It took her a few seconds longer to work out that he was having trouble stopping his eyes from dropping up and down her figure, and that every time he did, they seemed to darken just that little bit more.

"My eyes are up here, Sailor," she teased, as she watched his gaze drop once again, lingering over the exposed flesh just above her chest, before he snapped it back up to meet her eyes at the sound of her voice.

There was a moment where Emma was sure he was about to apologize to her for acting less than gentlemanly. But instead, what came out was, "Oh fuck it," before his hands were on her hips, pushing her back gently into the wall behind them as his lips dropped down to cover hers.

Jones had never kissed her with the kind of passion he showed that evening.

Emma dropped her bag in favor of sliding her hands up his arms to tangle her fingers through his hair, as he deepened their kiss. His tongue was hot and demanding against her own, dominating her mouth with his urgent passion. Jones alternated between sucking her top lip between his own, and nipping softly at the bottom one, as his hands wrapped around her waist, dragging her body tighter into his embrace.

She hadn't realized that he'd wedged his left leg between both of hers until she began grinding down against it in her desperation for _more._ A part of her was sure that would be the moment he'd chose to stop things, but Jones simply moaned hungrily, as he wrenched his mouth away from hers to begin brushing soft kisses over the exposed skin of her collarbone.

"Fuck me. You even taste as good as you look," he mumbled, drawing his tongue from the strap of her dress on one side of her shoulders, slowly over to the other.

"Oh God." Emma was dizzy from both his attention and his urgency. She dropped her head back against the wall as she allowed one of her hands to slide down from where it had been threaded through his hair, to tease along the line of his belt.

As she inched ever closer to the buckle, Jones's senses seemed to snap back to him slightly, and he pulled her hand away to pin it above her head, against the wall behind them.

"Patience," he told her.

But Killian's voice seemed to stick in his throat, as he watched the lust behind her eyes darken them impossibly further at the feel of the firm hold he had around her wrist.

To make matters worse, Emma's hips bucked up into his own, brushing against his straining arousal as she moaned wantonly for him.

Killian tightened his grip on her hip as he pushed her back into the wall, holding her firmly in place while Emma moaned once more at the way he had her restrained.

"Holy fuck," he gasped, as he was suddenly struck with the realization that his sweet girlfriend might be slightly kinkier than he had _ever_ imagined her to be. He dropped his head down to her shoulder as he used his teeth to tug gently at the strap of her dress. "You're gonna be the death of me."

Emma might have been pinned to the wall, but she still found a way to maneuver herself so her mouth was as close to his ear as she could possibly get it, to whisper teasingly, "But wouldn't it be such a wonderful way to go?" To emphasize her point she bit down gently on his lobe, and this time, Killian was the one who couldn't stop the way his hips jerked up to meet hers, as wave after wave of lust crashed through his veins.

He wasn't sure he'd _ever_ been that aroused before.

"We um… we shouldn't be doing this here," he tried again. Although Emma suspected that he was trying to reason with himself, more than he was trying to reason with her.

"Then why don't you take me home?" she suggested, fighting against the grip he still had on her hip, to grind down into him once more.

Jones pulled back at her words, and Emma half expected him to put a stop to their actions completely. But before he could say anything else, another voice that she didn't recognize called out, "What the fuck is going on in here?"

The look on Jones's face told Emma that he knew exactly who had walked in on the two of them. She watched as he pulled back just far enough to allow her to wiggle her dress back down into place without being seen, before he took a full step back to put some distance between the two of them.

"Well?" the new guy demanded. "Is someone gonna tell me what's going on here?"

Emma looked between Jones and the guy stood opposite him, with his arms folded tightly over his chest and a look of disproval on his face, as she tried to work out what was happening.

"David, this is Emma," Killian finally explained, as he gestured to the woman at his side. "My girlfriend," he added suddenly, sending her one of his softer smiles, the kind she'd only ever seen him aim her way.

" _Girlfriend_?" David scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me. She's a child, Killian. Look at her."

"I have," he spat out through clenched teeth. "And I can assure you, Emma is most certainly _not_ a child."

"Oh yeah? How old are you, Emma?" David turned to level her with the same judgmental look he'd been offering to his friend since he'd interrupted them. But he was pushing all of the wrong buttons, with the wrong person.

Emma Swan didn't often allow herself to be drawn into conflict, but when she did, she _never_ backed down.

"That's none of your fucking business."

"Jesus David, she's old enough," Killian protested.

"Old enough?" He laughed sardonically, and Emma cringed at the tone. She knew that whatever was coming next, neither of them were gonna like. "Do you know who else says that, Killian? Perverts."

"I'm not a fucking pervert," he shot back, taking a menacing step forward. Emma moved with him, bringing a hand up to rest against his chest. She wasn't sure if it was more for comfort, or for restraint, but she watched as Jones relaxed his shoulders a little at the contact.

"I'm old enough to legally drink; drive; smoke; buy a gun and, more importantly, consent to sex in every state of this country," she explained. "So why don't you take your judgmental crap and get the hell out of here?"

"What are you doing?" David asked Killian, as he took a step closer to the other man, completely ignoring Emma's words. "You have a beautiful woman sat at our table waiting for you, who also happens to be the same age as you are. And yet… here you are, making out with someone who barely looks like she's old enough to have graduated college."

The moment David had finished speaking, Emma snatched her hand back as her eyes widened in shock. Her mind was busy replaying exactly what he'd just said, to double check she'd heard him correctly.

"Emma," Jones began carefully, reaching for her arm. But she took another step back before he could touch her.

"You're on a date?" she asked quietly. Her voice was deceptively calm, considering the storm that was brewing inside of her.

The look on Jones's face was all she needed to confirm his answer.

"You fucking asshole."

* * *

 **I'm sorry! Please don't hate me!**

 **As many of you have already guessed, Emma's look here is based on Jen's look as Emma Swan in the pilot (only slightly younger) and Killian's is based on Colin's for the 100th Episode party.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Sorry for how I left you with the last update. I hope this one makes up for it a little.**

* * *

"Where are you going?" David asked, as he watched his friend scrub a harsh hand over his face before he shouldered his way past him, headed after the woman who had just made her escape.

"To explain everything to my girlfriend. Why don't _you_ go and explain the mess you've made of this to your wife and Zelena? Because believe me, if Emma never talks to me again because of this _,_ you can bet your arse that _I'm_ never talking to you again."

Killian stormed his way back through the restaurant before David could protest any further, his head whipping around in the hopes of catching sight of Emma's beautifully; wavy; blonde hair, or that skin-tight; hot-pink dress she was wearing.

When he finally found her, she was pushing her way through the slightly tipsier crowd at the bar, with her eyes firmly fixed on the front door.

"Emma, wait. It's not what it looks like," he declared, as he fought his own way through the mass of people, to reach out for her arm.

The moment he made contact, Emma pulled back as she whirled on him.

"Really? So you're not on a date with another woman?" she asked, as she folded her arms over her chest. It was her own way of protecting herself from the pain she knew was coming her way.

Killian cringed a little as he thought about how best to answer her question. He knew that he should tell her the truth, he just hoped that she'd give him enough time to hear him out completely, before she left the restaurant.

"I am," he whispered softly.

Emma turned to leave once more, but his arm shot out again to grab hers, as he gently pulled her back round to face him. "But I don't want to be. I didn't arrange this. I didn't even know she'd be here tonight. I don't want her, Emma. _I want you_. I just... I didn't know how to say that without ruining the whole evening. You look _so_ fucking beautiful right now, and I just… when I saw you, all I could think about was kissing you. I certainly wasn't thinking about another woman at that moment in time."

"You could have mentioned you were being set up in your message," she accused.

"I didn't want to put that into a text message. I didn't even want to tell you that over the phone. I was gonna call when the dinner was over and ask to see you tomorrow morning, to tell you in person. I wanted you to see the truth in my eyes, when I explained what had happened. I didn't want a miscommunicated call or message to end what we have. And I certainly didn't want to ruin your night with your friends."

"You should have trusted that I would be mature enough to handle that information, however you delivered it. That I would have believed what you were telling me. And you certainly should have told me the truth _before_ you fucking dry-humped me in the hallway. How do you think I feel right now?" she asked.

"I know, Emma. I know. And I'm sorry. I do trust you. I honestly do. I just… I was so scared that you'd see this as me playing the field, or something equally stupid, and I didn't want to do anything that could ruin this for us. If I could go back and change the way I handled this, I would. Please believe that."

"So, what was your plan for tonight?" she demanded. "Fuck me in the hall and then come back to your date? Take me back to your place and then call her when I fall asleep to lie about why you ran off?"

"No! Of course not," Killian sighed, as he ran his hand through his hair. Nothing he seemed to be saying was making the situation any better. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Saying that you didn't know I'd be here doesn't make this any better, Killian," she snapped.

His heart sank at the use of his given name. Emma had always called him Jones before. It was something he was actually starting to love about their relationship. Only she would be able to take something as simple as his name, and put her own little twist on it to make their interactions completely unique. But now, he'd broken her trust in him so severely that she couldn't even bring herself to use _her_ name for him.

"I just… I need to get out of here."

"Please, Emma. Don't leave. Not like this."

"I can't do this right now. I can't… I can't think straight. Not with all this noise… and with you standing there… looking like that. Not knowing she's _here_ somewhere, in this room. I just… I need some time and some space to _think_."

Killian nodded his head to show that he'd understood what she had said, even if all he wanted to do was protest until she stopped and listened to him. Until she understood _why_ he hadn't said anything sooner. And until she realized that he'd only been trying to protect what they had. "Can I call you tomorrow?" he asked instead.

"I think it's probably best you don't."

Killian could see the tears that were beginning to gather in her eyes, and he longed to reach out and pull her into his arms. To hold her until they had passed. He hated himself for making her look that way. For giving her any reason to doubt him. And for giving her a reason to doubt _them._

"Okay."

He wasn't really sure what else he could say. His head was screaming at him not to stop talking until Emma understood him, and why he'd made the decisions he had. But his heart was telling him that pushing her further that evening, while she was still raw from his betrayal, wasn't going to help win her back.

"Do you um… Can I drive you home? I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'll get a cab," she replied coldly. "Good night, Killian."

"Good night, Emma."

He watched as she steadied herself for a moment before turning on her heels and pushing her way out of the restaurant, into the darkness of the night. Every inch of his body was screaming at him to follow her, to make sure that she stayed safe. She was a beautiful young woman, in a big city all alone at night. And because of him, she was more vulnerable than ever before. But he knew that right then, his concerns for her safety wouldn't be appreciated at all.

Instead, he turned to head back to his own table, where David and Mary-Margret were still sat talking with Zelena, as if his entire world hadn't just crumbled around him.

"Is everything okay?" Mary-Margret asked, as she watched him approach the group. He took a moment to assess their body language, and then scoffed in disgust when he realized that his best friend hadn't taken his warning seriously.

"Not at all," Killian replied honestly.

He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket as the others frowned up at him. After withdrawing a handful of bills, (more than enough to cover his own share of the tab for that evening), he threw them down onto the table.

Killian waited just long enough for David to meet his eyes before he told him, "You and me are done. Get a fucking hotel room for the night. Your stuff will be ready for you to collect tomorrow morning."

"Killian, wait," David called out, as his friend turned to storm away from the table.

But Killian wasn't in the mood for any more bullshit that evening. All he wanted was the peace and comfort his own home had to offer, and the numbness that he knew would come once he reached the bottom of a bottle of decent whiskey.

"Fuck you, David," he called back over his shoulder, not caring in the slightest about the attention he drew from everyone around him as he left the building.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	23. Chapter 22

"What the fuck happened to you last night?" Ruby demanded, as she pushed her way into the apartment the next morning.

"Not now," Emma warned, staring down at the mug of cold coffee in her hands.

"Not now? Yes, now," Ruby countered. "It was my _birthday_ party. One minute you're just going to the bathroom, then three hours later you text me to say you've gone home because you don't feel well? What the hell, Emma?"

"I told you, I didn't feel well so I came home. I didn't want to ruin your night."

"Well, you did," Ruby threw back. "I was worried sick about you."

"Oh please, you didn't even notice I was gone," Emma yelled, pushing away from the table. "If I hadn't sent that message you probably wouldn't have realised I'd left at all."

Ruby took a moment to sit back and asses her friend. Emma wasn't the type of girl that snapped easily, so she knew something big had to have happened to push her friend to the edge. "Seriously, Ems? What happened?" she asked softly.

"It doesn't matter," Emma lied.

"Of course it does. You're my best friend. If something's upset you, I wanna know about it."

Emma sighed as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back off her face to reveal the redness from her tears. "I ran into my boyfriend last night. At the restaurant."

"Oh. So, you two snuck off together?" Ruby wondered, a little confused by Emma's conflicting words and actions.

"No. We um, we made out in the hall near the bathrooms for a while. Until his friend interrupted us to tell him to go back to his more age-appropriate date."

Emma hated that her eyes were once more filling with tears. When she'd gotten back to the apartment the night before, she'd promised herself that she wouldn't cry over another man again. She'd broken down the moment she'd turned the lock on the front door, sinking to her knees to scream and yell through her frustration, until her voice had gone hoarse and all that was left were her tears.

She'd truly thought that Jones was different. That he actually cared for her, and that he saw her as his equal, not as some little girl that he needed to handle carefully until he got what he wanted from her. She couldn't believe how wrong she had been.

"That son of a bitch," Ruby cursed. "Give me his name and I swear to God I'll make him regret that decision for the rest of his life."

Emma snorted out a hard laugh. "He's not worth it," she told her friend, before heading for the solace of her room once more. She wasn't ready to interact with rational human beings just yet.

Ruby watched on sadly as for the very first time in their friendship, Emma shut and locked her bedroom door behind herself.

* * *

Emma didn't hear a word from Jones after she stormed out of the restaurant Saturday evening. She'd hoped that he'd reach out to her in some way, and that he'd try fighting for what she thought they had. But as the days passed without contact, she was beginning to realise just how wrong she'd been about him.

She wouldn't have been surprised if after she'd left, he'd fixed on a smile and returned to his date.

When her classes finished Wednesday afternoon, she detoured home via the Starbucks they'd met at the previous week, hoping that maybe Jones would be there, with a coffee in hand to apologise once more. But he wasn't in the store or outside of it. She couldn't even spot his car anywhere near the parking lot.

She'd checked her calls, messages and inbox constantly since that night, but there was nothing at all waiting for her from Jones. The longer he went without reaching out to her, the more Emma became convinced that he'd simply been using her as some form of distraction, until he found someone better.

Her last hope came on Saturday morning, when she arrived for work to find Gloria once again waiting behind the counter, with a smile and a wave.

"Good Morning," Gloria greeted, as Emma made her way out to the front of the shop, to see what needed to be done for the day.

"Morning." Emma offered her friend a tight smile in reply, but she knew it wasn't as natural as her smiles for Gloria usually were.

"How's Dr. Jones doing?" the other woman asked innocently.

Emma froze for a moment as her mind raced at the sound of someone else speaking his name, before she finally turned back to face her co-worker. "I don't know," she told her. "You've probably seen him more than I have this week."

"He's not been in all week," Gloria explained, as a frown creased her forehead. "I thought that maybe he was sick?"

"Oh, um, possibly." Emma turned away from the ever-growing look of concern building on her friend's face as she mumbled, "I haven't spoken to him since last weekend."

"I thought the two of you were dating?" Gloria followed Emma through to the small kitchen in the back of the store, clearly unaware that this was a conversation Emma didn't want to have.

"We were, and now we're not," she snapped back, before the guilt hit her hard at the way the older woman's face fell. "I'm sorry. I just…"

"What happened, Sweetheart?" Gloria asked softly. "You two seemed so smitten with each other last weekend."

"I guess looks can be deceiving." Emma turned back to the ovens in an attempt to find something to do to keep herself busy. But in that moment, she seemed to have forgotten every duty her job involved.

"Come and sit down for a second," Gloria encouraged.

"We have work to do."

"Work can wait. You need someone to talk to, Sweetheart." Gloria reached up to brush away a stray tear that Emma wasn't aware had fallen, before she took her hand and guided her down to one of the small tables at the back of the shop. The other woman disappeared for a moment, giving Emma the time she needed to compose herself, before she returned with a mug of coffee for each of them, and a warm chocolate-chip cookie for the broken-hearted young woman. "Now, tell me everything," she encouraged.

Emma laughed bitterly as she reached up to rub at her forehead. Gloria was right, she did need someone to talk to about it all. But she hated how vulnerable she felt doing so.

"I um… I ran in to him at the restaurant where Ruby was having her party," she began softly. "He was there having dinner with an old friend from college, and neither of us were expecting to see each other. He looked good. He looked _really_ good," Emma chuckled, as an image of Jones flashed behind her eyes. That black shirt spread tightly over his chest. The blue checked jacket and pants that made his eyes pop. And his hair, a riotous mess from her hands. She'd never seen anyone look that good before. "We um, we sort of um… we…" she trailed off awkwardly, unsure of how to explain to her colleague that they'd been dry humping in the hall.

"Sweetheart, I have four children and twelve grandchildren. I might be sixty-three, but sex is not a taboo subject for me," Gloria interjected, making Emma blush harder than she ever had before.

"We didn't do that," she rushed to assure her. "It was close, though. I um, I asked him to take me home. And I really thought he was going to."

"So he rejected you?" Gloria worried.

"No. We were interrupted by his friend before he could say anything." Emma sighed heavily at the thought of that moment. Things had been going so well until fucking David had showed up.

"He um… he wasn't happy to find Jones making out with someone who looked barely old enough to have graduated college. Especially when there was a perfectly age-appropriate date waiting for him at their table."

"Oh my!" Gloria's eyes widened in shock, and Emma felt a little better that Jones seemed to have fooled the older woman just as well as he had her. "That can't be right."

"It is. He confirmed it," she countered.

"But he's been so taken by you," Gloria pushed. "That man has been in here three times a week since he moved to the city, and all he ever wants to talk about is you. About what you did on your dates, the messages you've sent to him, how well you're doing at school. That's one of his favourite subjects, by the way. He's so proud of how well you're doing with your studies. He even confronted Betty a few days back to make sure she wasn't taking advantage of you, while you were a student."

Emma raised a brow in question and Gloria chuckled in agreement. "Yeah, Betty soon put him in his place with that one. But my point, Emma is that man was smitten with you. I can't imagine a situation where he'd arrange another date while you two were still seeing each other."

"Well he um, he said that he didn't arrange it," Emma whispered softly, as she took a sip of her coffee. "He said that it was a blind date his friend had set him up on." She had actually believed him too. He'd seemed so sincere when he'd explained himself that evening.

"Oh, well that makes much more sense," Gloria sighed.

"He didn't tell me about it, though. He told me about the dinner, but he couldn't send me a message to tell me he was on a date with another woman? Or even tell me that _before_ he decided to grind me into a wall?"

"Perhaps he simply didn't want to ruin your evening," Gloria suggested. "He knew that you were out celebrating Ruby's birthday. Maybe he didn't want to put a damper on that for you."

"He still should have told me."

"Yes, he should have," the other woman agreed. "But hindsight is twenty, twenty. I'm sure that at the time, Dr. Jones felt that he was doing what was best for you, Sweetheart. I can't imagine any situation where that man would willing hurt you."

"Yeah well… it doesn't matter anyway. He clearly doesn't think this relationship is worth fighting for."

"What do you mean?" Gloria asked, as she drained the last of her own drink.

"He hasn't been in touch since then. So… obviously, he doesn't care enough to fight for this."

"Did you tell him to leave you alone, or give you some space?" she asked carefully.

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Dr. Jones isn't a teenager, Emma. He's probably had experience with dating before. More than your average peer has. If you told him not to call you, or to give you some space, I'd imagine that as much as it's killing him to do so right now, he's just trying to respect your wishes."

Emma hadn't thought of things that way before. She'd assumed that Jones would try getting in touch to plead his innocence the next day. Like Neal had done. She thought he'd keep bugging her until she finally agreed to listen to him. Like Neal had done. And she had thought his lack of communication was his way of giving up on them. Like Neal's had been.

She hadn't imagined that it would be his way of trying to salvage their relationship.

"Do you really think so?" she asked hopefully.

"I really do," Gloria assured her. "If you still want this relationship, then I think you need to try reaching out to him. I'm certain he's simply waiting for you to make the first move here. He probably doesn't want you to feel like he's pressuring you into a situation you're not comfortable with. I'm sure that if you reach out to him, he'll end up surprising you."

The small bell above the door tinkled to signal the arrival of their next customer, and Gloria stood to assist them, leaving Emma alone with her thoughts for a while.

She pulled her phone out once more to load up her message thread with Jones, and sighed as her eyes fell on her last reply to him from a week before. With Gloria's words still ringing in her ears, Emma tapped out a quick message and hit send before she could talk herself out of it.

 **Large cappuccino**

 **and a white chocolate chip muffin**

 **for Jones.**

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	24. Chapter 23

Killian sighed as he deleted the message he'd typed out once more, before he locked his phone and dropped it onto the sofa.

It was a process he'd been repeating ever since he'd made it home the night before. He'd pull up a blank message to Emma, type out how sorry he was, whilst reaffirming that the date had meant nothing to him and hadn't been enjoyable in anyway at all, and then beg her not to give up on them – before he would delete everything and close out of the app.

Emma had told him that she needed time and space. And even if it drove him mad to do so, Killian would respect those wishes. But he was praying like hell that at the end of it all, she'd decide he was worth seeing again.

David and Mary-Margret had stopped by early that morning, in an attempt to talk to him about what had happened the night before. But instead of seeing the people he had once considered his friends, Killian had simply repacked their bags for them, and left them placed outside of the door to his apartment the moment they buzzed to be let into the building. It hadn't stopped David from hammering his fist on the door, yelling about how unreasonable his friend was being, and that Killian should have the guts to come out and face him like a real man. But Killian knew that his temper still wasn't fully under control, so he shut himself away in his bedroom and turned on his favorite album to drown out the noise.

He would confront his friend about what had happened when he was less likely to say something he could come to regret.

He must have fallen asleep at some point because when he opened his eyes again, his phone had died and the sun had gone down. Killian hurried to plug the device in to charge and then woke his laptop, hoping to see a message from Emma on one of them. But neither his phone, nor his inbox, showed any contact from her end.

He wished that she would at least reach out to him, just to let him know that she'd gotten home safely. He hated the thought of her leaving the restaurant in such a vulnerable condition. His years of teaching had taught Killian just how often vulnerable students were taken advantage of, and he _never_ wanted to see Emma become a victim of that.

For the umpteenth time that day, he tapped out another message of his own. This time he was simply asking that she confirm she'd made it back to her apartment safely, for the sake of his sanity, before he deleted it once more.

He'd hurt her, and he had absolutely no right to demand that she reassure him while she was still smarting from his betrayal. His selfish needs in that moment were not more important than her own.

* * *

Monday afternoon, Killian left his apartment as usual to head for the small coffee shop he'd come to love. It was a true hidden gem in the city, and he was so happy to have found it not long after his return to New York. During the week the place was a little busier, with those who worked in the surrounding financial district popping in and out on their breaks. But it still wasn't busy enough for him to be unable to concentrate on his work, while he drank some of the finest coffee he'd ever tasted in his lifetime.

It was only when he was stood outside of the door to the shop that Killian began to doubt himself. He knew that Emma was unlikely to be at work during the week, given her busy schedule for school. But he didn't know if she'd been in touch with the women she worked with, since Saturday evening. And he wasn't sure if his continued presence at her place of employment would be appreciated, after what had happened. So at the last moment, he detoured to a nearby Starbucks instead. After finding a small table in the corner of the busy chain store to set up his laptop on, Killian spent most of his afternoon watching the people outside pass him by, while he sipped on average tasting coffee.

* * *

Monday and Tuesday both passed without any contact from Emma, and Killian's hopes of salvaging his relationship with her dipped further. He'd promised himself that if she hadn't reach out to him by the end of the week, he would send her one message, and only one, to offer a final apology. He'd also promised himself that he would accept whatever fate handed to him. If Emma deemed his hurt and betrayal too much to recover from, he would accept the consequences of his actions, and attempt to move on.

But Killian couldn't deny that the thought of losing her stung.

When he'd first moved back to the city, he hadn't been looking for a date. Killian had been looking for a clean break. Losing his fiancée was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to deal with. So he'd spent some time travelling, visiting all of the places that Milah had always dreamed of seeing, but had never had the chance to get to, before she passed away. He'd also made sure to squeeze in some work in whatever country or state he was visiting, so that he wouldn't lose touch with the working world.

It was just after the third anniversary of her death that he finally made the decision to return to the USA, and in particular, to the city that he'd always loved most. His fate had been sealed when Midas had reached out to him to inform Killian that their department was looking for Mrs. West's eventual replacement, as she had announced that she would be retiring at the end of the school year. Killian had jumped at the chance of a permanent position at such a respectable school.

He hadn't been expecting Emma Swan to walk into his life and turn his plans completely upside down.

When she'd first approached that desk after his lecture on ethics, he had been expecting the usual kind of encounter after one of his addresses. People either raced for the door, wanting to escape the boredom of the subject he'd been teaching, or they approached his desk to flirt. There was something about the forbidden romance aspect to a student and teacher relationship that called to them, in a way that Killian would never understand. He'd been propositioned in a classroom more times than he had been out of one.

But Emma Swan had done neither of those things.

Instead, she had praised his lecture and asked him about his inspiration. Killian wasn't sure anyone outside of his family had ever done that before.

He'd intended on keeping their interactions to a purely professional level, given his interest in a future position at her school. But there was something about her that drew Killian in. He couldn't seem to stop himself from replying to her messages, or asking for a little more information about her. He wanted to know as much about Emma as she was willing to share with him.

It didn't take long for his interest in Emma Swan to grow, and that in a potential job opening at her school to diminish. Killian could find a stable job at any number of schools around the world. But he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to find another who captivated and enchanted him the way that Emma had done.

He'd been lucky enough to find love once before in his life. And, while he wasn't entirely sure what he felt for Emma was love just yet, he knew that it could be, if their relationship was given the time it needed to flourish.

Emma Swan was everything Killian had ever imagined finding in a partner.

But he was also equally confident that if this was the end of things between the two of them, he would be unlikely to ever find another who enthralled him the way that she had.

* * *

Wednesday was perhaps the cruelest of the days that passed by without word from her. Killian had everything he needed in his apartment for the picnic the two of them had arranged the week before. But as every minute ticked closer to the time he'd agreed to pick her up, his mood soured, much like the food he'd found himself hopefully preparing for them that morning.

* * *

Wednesday faded into Thursday, and Thursday quickly turned to Friday, with no contact from her at all. Killian was starting to wonder if she had blocked his details, but he didn't want to risk her ire by calling or messaging her to find out. Instead, he threw himself into the book he had been working on, and the lecture that he was preparing for the conference in Las Vegas. Killian had probably written more for his book that week than he had throughout the rest of the year combined.

Heartbreak was apparently good for the muse.

* * *

As Friday turned to Saturday, Killian's mood dropped to its lowest point since he'd returned to the city. He knew that Emma would be at work that morning. She wasn't the type of girl to call in sick, thanks to problems with her boyfriend. While she hadn't revealed much about herself to him just yet, Killian knew that she took her responsibilities in life seriously. It was yet another reason he admired her the way that he did. She wasn't one of the spoiled rich kids he'd had the misfortune of meeting in his past. It was obvious to him that she didn't have parents at home, paying for all of her living expenses. Emma Swan had experienced the harshness of the real world, and she'd come out of it fighting.

He tried to keep himself busy working, so that he wouldn't be tempted to head for the coffee shop. He didn't want to make her day harder by turning up there uninvited, when it was clear that she wanted nothing more to do with him. But knowing where she was, and what she was doing, made it hard for Killian to focus on anything else.

Eventually, he decided to head down to the parking garage to wash his car.

It was usually a job he left to professionals, as he didn't want to risk scratching the fragile paintwork. But that morning, Killian needed the distraction that the manual labor would provide him with. So he carried down a bucket filled with sponges, clothes and wax. He took his time filling the container with warm water, before he set to work methodically washing every inch of the car's bodywork.

It took him much longer to finish the job than it should have, given that he had to keep returning to the small tap set into the wall to fill his bucket with water, in order to rinse the car down. But once he was finished, and the car was sparkling clean both inside and the out, Killian felt proud of himself for what he had managed to achieve.

He had also succeeded in passing most of the afternoon with minimal thoughts about Emma Swan, and what she would be doing at work.

 _Was she thinking about him as much as he was thinking about her?_

When he made it back to his apartment he quickly stripped out of his wet and dirty clothing, and stepped straight into the shower, to wash away the sweat and grime from the day.

It was only when he was out, wrapped in a plush, cream towel and craving coffee, that he finally decided to check his phone, in the vain hopes that there might be a message waiting for him.

His heart stopped for a second when he saw the notification on his screen.

Killian pulled up the message with trembling hands, and read it through twice, before a small smile broke over his face.

 **Large cappuccino**

 **and a white chocolate chip muffin**

 **for Jones.**

It was his usual order on a Saturday afternoon. Killian had come to think of it as his weekend treat, along with the conversation that was often provided by the beautiful blonde who served it to him.

Emma was reaching out to him, offering him a chance to see her again. And from the playful tone behind her message, Killian assumed that she was, at the very least, ready to talk about what had happened.

But when his eyes landed on the message details, his heart sank once more.

The text had been sent not long after he had headed down to wash his car. Almost three hours earlier. And a quick glance at the time on the top of the darkening screen told Killian that he only had less than an hour to get dressed and make it to the coffee shop, before it closed.

"Fuck," he cursed, dropping his phone to the counter top as he ran for his bedroom.

There was no way he would allow himself to mess things up between the two of them once more.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **Sending special thanks as always to Luna, Alexa, Lexan, JillianM, halfkender and the other guests for all of their wonderful reviews.**


	25. Chapter 24

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Gloria asked, for the third time in less than ten minutes.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine. I'm a big girl. Go and squeeze those grandbabies of yours for me," Emma told her.

"He probably hasn't seen your message yet," Gloria offered, as she reached out to squeeze the young woman's arm gently.

"I'm sure you're right." Emma knew that Gloria wasn't buying the tight smile she was offering along with those words. Hell, Emma wasn't buying it either. For one blissful moment, she had allowed herself to get her hopes up. To believe the words of wisdom her friend had offered to her.

But as the minutes had ticked by without any reply, Emma had begun to realize just how stupid she had been.

Jones hadn't reached out to her because he was done with her. Not because he was trying to respect her wishes.

"Call me if you need _anything._ And definitely call me if he calls you," Gloria instructed, before she pulled Emma into her arms for a deceptively tight hug. "I'll see you next weekend, Sweetheart."

"See you next weekend."

As Gloria finally made her exit from the store, Emma headed back to the kitchen to begin scrubbing down some of the ovens they had used that day. Betty usually scheduled a deep clean for the whole store once a month, that would eliminate anything not caught on their daily cleans. But Emma needed the distraction the manual work would provide her with.

When she was left alone with her thoughts for too long, they inevitably drifted back to Jones. To the way she used to feel every morning, when she woke to find a message from him in her inbox. To the trashy romance novels he had a secret passion for, and the documentaries on Ancient Egypt that he loved. To his strong views on British and Irish politics, and the slightly more reserved ones he had about the current political state of America. To that collection of tight sweaters he seemed to own, that on anyone else would be the stereotypical image of a dad sweater, but on him, seemed to fit like sin. To the way his eyes would crinkle when he laughed, showing a few signs of his true age, and how those little lines would only seem to enhance his natural beauty, and his true enjoyment of the moment. To the respect that he showed everyone around them, no matter what their position in life was. And to that damned accent of his that caressed every word he spoke, making the most mundane of sentences sound like some kind of Shakespearean poetry.

Emma hated admitting to herself that even though they had only known each other for a relatively short amount of time, she missed him. And she missed everything that he had brought to her life, since they had met.

The steady stream of customers that popped in and out of the building for the rest of the day were both a blessing and a curse. While they kept her fairly busy for the remainder of her shift, every time the small bell above the door rang, Emma hoped that it was Jones, there to make things right between the two of them. And every time it wasn't him, her heart cracked a little further.

Eventually she ended up turning off her phone and slipping it into her bag. She'd pulled it out to check her messages so often that she was slowly draining the battery. And Emma knew that the more she checked it, the more likely she was to be caught doing so by a customer. While she was confident that Betty wouldn't fire her for being distracted on the job that afternoon, Emma didn't want to come across as rude. A lot of their business was from people who accidentally stumbled into the store, and then went out of their way to return when they realized just how good the coffee was, compared to their favorite Starbucks menu item. She didn't want to drive any away potential business by making customers believe that the staff members were too rude and distracted to take their orders.

As the day began to wind down, Emma found herself hiding one of the last remaining white chocolate chip and strawberry muffins, in the vain hopes that Jones just might surprise her. But the closer the clock ticked to closing time, the more despondent she began to feel.

She hadn't wanted to believe that Jones had been playing her, but the evidence was strongly suggesting that all of her instincts about the man had been completely off.

It was only when she finally flicked the sign on the door to close the shop for the day, that she allowed the tears she'd been holding in all afternoon to fall. Even if he had been using her, Emma had allowed herself to begin developing feelings for the man, and it stung to know that she would probably never see him again. But she needed to pull herself together. Ruby was suspicious enough as it was. Emma wasn't in the mood for explaining her secret relationship with a former professor, and how it had come crashing down around her, to her best friend. She just wanted to stop off at the local grocery store to grab one of the cheapest boxes of wine she could find, and drown her sorrows with crappy romcoms on Netflix.

But it seemed like fate had other plans for her, as she had just finished cashing out for the evening when someone began hammering away on the locked front door.

"Fuck me," she sighed. Even though it was still relatively early, it wasn't unheard of for drunks to show up looking for snacks. And Emma really hated dealing with them.

At first, she chose to ignore the noise. She hoped that whoever it was would take the hint and move on to somewhere else, searching for their fix. But after a short pause that could only have been mere seconds long, the knocking began once more.

She dug her phone out of her bag and switched it back on while she searched for her pepper spray. Emma wasn't taking any chances that evening, so as she made her way out to the front of the store, she unlocked the small device and tapped in nine-one-one, before tightening her grip on the metal canister in her other hand.

When she pulled aside one of the blinds to see what was waiting outside for her, Emma's entire body relaxed.

He looked tired, and worried, and a little frustrated… but Jones still looked every bit as beautiful as she remembered him being. He was leaning back against the wall as he continued to bang his fist on the door, while his eyes remained focused on the toes of his shoes.

It was only when Emma twisted the lock that he finally stopped, and his eyes sprung up to meet hers, as she pulled the door opened.

"Emma," he sighed, the relief clearly evident in his tone. "I was worried I would be too late."

"You almost were," she told him, as she pulled the door open a little wider in invitation. Jones gave her a small appreciative smile as he slipped in through the gap she had opened for him, before Emma closed and locked the door behind the two of them once more.

Now that he was stood in front of her, she wasn't really sure how she felt. A part of her wanted to beg him to hold her and never let go. While the other wanted to demand answers about why he hadn't tried to contact her, and what had happened after she had left the restaurant that night.

"I um… I need to finish closing down," she told him instead, hoping that the end of day routine would help to focus her train of thought.

"Of course," he agreed easily. "It's not too late to talk, is it? When you're finished?"

"No." That one small word had Jones's shoulder dropping in relief as he offered her another tentative smile. "If you take a seat I'll be out when I'm done."

"Thank you." Jones made his way around to the table he had always occupied when he was in the shop, and perched himself stiffly on the edge of the chair.

Emma was just about to head back into the office to finish her work for the evening when an urge suddenly overcame her. She detoured over to the coffee machine that she hadn't yet cleaned down, and quickly worked her magic with it. Jones's usual order was soon sat steaming away on the counter, next to the one remaining muffin she had saved for him.

"Here," she offered, setting the two items down carefully in front of him. "I saved you a muffin."

"Thanks," Jones replied, beaming up at her. Because this was Emma's small way of extending him an olive branch, and there was no way he would ever refuse that. "I was missing my usual fix."

"You didn't have to stay away just because of me."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," he explained.

And just like that, all of Gloria's words came rushing back to Emma. Bringing with them a huge wave of relief.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	26. Chapter 25

When Emma finally emerged once more her apron had been removed in favor of the light jacket she had brought with her for the day, and Jones jumped to his feet to greet her.

"I have to lock up," she told him. "Betty will be worried if she checks the system and sees the alarm isn't set yet."

"Of course," Jones agreed. "After you." He waited for Emma to set the alarm for the shop before he pulled open the front door, and then followed her out into the darkening night. It only took her a few more seconds to lock the door behind them both, before she was tucking her keys back into her purse and turning to face him.

"I um… I really am sorry for what happened last week," Jones apologized, as the two of them began walking slowly down the street together.

"I know." Emma offered him a tight smile before she asked, "Do you um… do you maybe wanna come back to my place? I have some stuff I wanna tell you, to explain why I reacted the way I did. And I'd rather do that sat down on my sofa, than between avoiding the drunks on my way home." To help make her point she swerved to avoid a small group of men heading the opposite way down the sidewalk, not looking at all where they were going.

Jones glared daggers into the backs of their heads, before he turned to offer Emma a gentle smile. "Of course. As long as you don't mind having me there?"

"I don't mind. But I should probably warn you that it's nothing special. It's tiny, actually. And not that well furnished. But it's home, you know?"

"I was a student once too, remember?" he teased softly. "I bet your home is much nicer than some of the ones I've had in the past. A group of six men living in one apartment can get _nasty_ at the best of times. During exam season, it probably should have been condemned."

Emma chuckled a little at the mental image he was painting for her, as she continued to guide the two of them back to the home she shared with her best friend. "Ruby's out with some of her friends tonight, so we should be alone."

When they came to a stop just outside of the door to her now-familiar apartment building, she had to swallow back the nerves that were building inside of her. She couldn't remember when she'd last cleaned her home. Or if she'd washed the dishes from dinner the night before. Emma and Ruby weren't exactly slobs, but they were busy. And sometimes, they didn't manage to keep on top of all of their chores like they probably should have.

"Hey, I'm not gonna judge you for how your apartment looks," Jones assured her. "Like I said before - I get it. I've been there myself."

Emma nodded her head in understanding as Jones reached past her to pull open the door to her building, before he followed her through it.

"Does this lock?" he asked, frowning down at what appeared to be a space to insert a key into the frame.

"I don't think so. At least, I don't think it's ever been locked since we moved in. I certainly don't have a key for it."

Jones mumbled something about safety that Emma couldn't quite make out. But before she could question it, he had another waiting for her.

"Does the elevator not work?" he wondered, as he watched her walk straight past the only one in the building, and head for the staircase off to one side.

"It breaks down more often than it works. So unless you wanna spend your night trapped inside of it, the stairs are probably a safer bet."

Killian nodded his agreement with her plan, but continued to mumble about unfair living conditions as he trudged up each of the steps Emma was used to climbing, to get to her apartment. Thankfully, she only lived on the third floor, so it wasn't that far to go. But he still didn't like the thought of her having to carry heavy grocery bags up that many flights of stairs, just because she was worried about being stuck in an elevator all day.

While Emma paused once more to fish her keys from her purse, Jones made a quick mental note of her apartment number before waiting patiently for her to push the door open. The hallway was dark when she did, but Emma found the switch just inside the doorway with practiced ease, flicking it on to cast a warm glow around her small home.

"Come in," she invited needlessly, as she pulled off her bag to hang up on an old-fashioned coat rack that was stood in the corner of the room, before doing the same with her jacket. "Can I take yours?"

"Of course." Killian hurried to remove the leather jacket that he'd snatched up in his haste to leave the apartment that afternoon, and passed it over to Emma as his eyes continued taking in his surroundings.

The walls of the apartment were painted a neutral color, but were kept in surprisingly good condition, given what he'd seen of the building on his walk up. He wouldn't have been shocked to learn that Emma and her roommate had clubbed together every few years to buy some more paint to keep the walls looking tidy, because whoever maintained the building clearly hadn't thought to do the same for the stairwell in _at least_ the last decade. The girls had also hung some pictures and artwork on their walls, giving the place a more homey feel to it than most student dwellings had.

Emma led the way down the corridor and through to the small kitchen and living space they had. The kitchen itself consisted of an oven and hob, two cupboards, and a small sink crammed into one corner. There was a tiny table that was sat just off to the side, with two seats around it, and a small refrigerator had been placed under the window, with an array of fresh herbs growing on top of it.

The living space was a little bigger, but not by much. The girls clearly had a secondhand couch that looked like it would only just seat the two of them comfortably. They'd covered it with a plush looking red throw, which helped to make it look more appealing. But Killian would bet his car that it wasn't overly comfortable. One ancient looking armchair was sat just off to the side, with a chipped and scratched coffee table in the middle of the two. Killian chuckled a little at the huge stack of books it was buried under; a sight that mirrored his own at home. And to complete the space, a small television stood on top of a cabinet in the corner of the room, with a DVD player underneath it, and an even smaller stack of films next to that.

The walls in the room were amazingly clean and damage free. They had been decorated with more artwork that Emma and Ruby had found cheap in charity stores. And while the gray carpet under his feet was clearly old, it appeared to be unsoiled and smelled fairly fresh.

Emma had been right, the apartment itself was nothing special, but it was obvious that its occupants had put a lot of effort into transforming it into something a little more special than it had been, when they had first signed their lease.

"This is nice," Jones told her. "It's probably the nicest student home I've ever stepped foot in."

"Thanks," Emma chuckled awkwardly. "We try and keep it as clean as possible, because it's nice to have somewhere uncluttered and quiet to come home to. But between school and work, we're not always the cleanest of people. Can I get you anything to drink?"

"Water will be fine, if you have it?"

Emma nodded her head and busied herself pulling a filter jug already filled with cool water from the fridge. As she worked she called over her shoulder, "You can make yourself comfortable."

Killian considered his options for a moment before dropping down onto the sofa. If Emma wasn't ready to be that close to him just yet, then she could take the free chair. But if she was, he was leaving that option open for her too. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't missed their closeness that week, so he was hoping that she'd opt to sit beside him as they talked.

When Emma eventually sat the two glasses down onto a couple of geeky coasters on the table, he watched as she looked first at the space he'd left beside him, and then to the free chair, before she finally took a seat on the other half of the sofa.

Killian's heart warmed a little as she did. It felt like one small victory in his battle to win her back.

But when silence fell between the two of them, his heart cooled once more. The atmosphere was painfully awkward, full of all of the things that were still unspoken between them. Their silences had never felt that way before.

Emma busied herself fidgeting with the sleeves of her shirt, while Killian tried to decide if he should be the one to speak first.

"I'm sorry, Emma. You were right. I should have told you about the setup the moment I knew about it."

"It's okay," she offered gently. "I um… I spoke to Gloria about it and she helped me understand why you didn't tell me then. I mean, I probably wouldn't have taken the news well no matter when you delivered it. I guess that says more about my own insecurities than it does about you."

"But still… I should have left as soon as I knew it was a setup." Killian had kicked himself plenty of times over the past week for not making that decision. "And I should have trusted that you would have handled the news maturely."

"Yeah, you should have. But I should have known that you weren't cheating on me. I should have trusted that you wouldn't have gone into that dinner with the thought of betraying me. I'm sorry I didn't."

"I guess we just need to learn to trust each other a little more, huh?" he chuckled bitterly.

Emma didn't laugh, though.

She turned her eyes back down to her hands before she finally voiced what had been on her mind since David's revelation the week before. "I've only ever had one serious relationship in my life. Well, I thought it was serious at the time, but now I know better. I bounced around a lot as a kid. In and out of group and foster homes, because once you stop being a cute baby, nobody wants you anymore. It wasn't really the ideal circumstances for making friends, let alone starting a lasting relationship with anyone."

Killian turned a little in his seat, offering Emma his undivided attention. He'd gleamed bits and pieces about her past from their previous conversations, but this was the most direct she'd been on the subject.

"Then I found this stable place for a while, when I was in my junior year of high school. A place where I could make friends for the first time in my life. And I met a guy there. Neal. He um… he paid attention to me in a way I'd never experienced before. He was sweet, you know? Not like the others, who had always seen me as the new girl, and therefore the biggest conquest of the month. I thought he liked me."

Killian reached out to take her hand into his. He could already tell where Emma's story was going, and he felt even worse knowing that he'd brought back those memories for her with his thoughtless actions.

"I was um… I was out with my friends one night and I ran into him at an arcade. He was coming out of the bathroom as I was headed to one. And when he saw me, he started flirting with me. He was being all sweet and overly-affectionate. I think he thought it would distract me enough that I wouldn't see my best friend slip out of the same bathroom he'd just left, with her shirt half-unbuttoned. But I did."

"Shit," Killian sighed, scrubbing a harsh hand over his face.

"I ran off, crying like you do when you find out your boyfriend's been cheating on you… and he completely humiliated me. He started yelling about how I was behaving childishly, and that everybody else already knew about Lilly, so it wasn't his fault that I didn't. Then he started yelling some more about how boring and frigid I was, in front of all of our friends. He told me about how he'd gotten fed up of me not putting out for him, and when I finally did it, it hadn't been worth waiting for. He reminded me that he could have any girl in school, so I really shouldn't have assumed that he'd settle for a nerd like me."

Emma swallowed back the lump that was forming in her throat. She hadn't thought about Neal in years, and she went out of her way to avoid Lilly on campus. But every now and then something would remind her of that evening, and the sting of humiliation still felt as fresh as it had been back then.

"I um, I left soon after that and promised myself to never let a man hurt me that way again. So…"

"When David told you I was there on a date with another woman it all hit too close to home for you, and you thought I was going to humiliate you too," Jones finished for her.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I did."

"I'm truly sorry, Emma. I _never_ wanted for you to feel that way. I just didn't want to ruin your night by telling you that my friends had set me up on a date. And I didn't want you to doubt the truth either, so I thought if I told you about it in person, you'd be able to see that I was being genuine."

"I know. I get that now. Gloria helped to explain it all to me." Emma finally lifted her eyes to meet his. "I just… I guess I'm so used to protecting myself that I didn't stop to think that maybe you were trying to protect me too. And then when you didn't call, I thought it was because you didn't care."

"I do," he rushed to assure her. "I do care, Emma. I just didn't want you to think I was pushing you. I was gonna message you tomorrow night, if I hadn't heard from you before then."

"We um… we kinda made this into a real mess, didn't we?" she chuckled, as she brushed away her unfallen tears.

"Yeah, we did. But maybe this is a good thing, in some ways?" Emma's eyes flicked up to meet his and Killian hurried on to ease her fears. "At least this way we both know where we stand. And that if something like this were to ever happen again, we know that we need to trust each other. We need to trust our feelings for each other."

"I guess so," she agreed.

Emma allowed the silence to settle between the two of them for a moment as she reached for her glass to take a sip from her drink. When she turned back to face him, it was to whisper softly, "I missed you, Jones."

"You know, I never thought I'd miss the sound of my last name so much," he teased.

The giggle that left her lips in that moment was the sweetest sound he'd heard all week. Killian couldn't help the smile that broke free as he watched the way her face lit up from within. She really was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting.

When her laughter finally died down, leaving behind the sparkle that had been missing from her eyes, he asked softly, "I'd really like to kiss you now. If you'll let me?"

Emma's eyes flew up to meet his, the shock creeping in around the contentment that had been present before. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable. But he had missed his girlfriend, and the closeness they had shared.

"Okay."

"Yeah?" he asked, on a sigh of relief. As much as he wanted nothing more than to gather her into his arms again, he would wait if she felt that the timing wasn't quite right for that.

"Yeah," she assured him, that beautiful smile lighting up her face once more.

Emma leaned in to begin closing the distance between the two of them as Killian brought his hand up to cup the side of her face. He'd forgotten how much he'd missed the warmth and softness of her skin, and that slightly nutty scent that it had always carried, but that he couldn't quite put a name to. He'd missed the way her eyes fluttered closed as his nose bumped gently against hers, before he finally brushed their lips together.

But he didn't have the time to tell her all of that.

The overly-loud scratch of a key in the lock had them both springing apart, their eyes widening in shock as they remembered where they were, and what was going on.

"Shit," Emma declared. "Ruby's home early. You need to hide."

"Hide?" he scoffed, his voice rising a little with his disbelief. "Where?"

Emma took a good look around the apartment before she tugged on his hand to encourage him to stand. "My room. It's over there. Go."

Jones looked like he wanted to argue, but the sound of the front door being pushed open, and then closed shortly after, stopped him from doing so.

"Hey, Ems, are you here?" Ruby asked unnecessarily.

"Go," Emma hissed quietly at him, before calling back to her friend, "I'm in the living room."

Killian sighed once more as he dropped a kiss to the top of Emma's head, and then made his way over to the closed door she had pointed out to him before.

Emma watched as her bedroom door clicked softly shut behind Jones just as her friend rounded the corner to the living space they shared.

"Hey, Ruby. How's it going?"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	27. Chapter 26

"Are you drunk?" Ruby asked suspiciously.

"What? No. Of course not. Whatever made you think that?" Emma rambled. She was aware that her current behaviour was probably causing all of Ruby's internal alarm bells to ring. But with Jones only a few feet away, she was a little worried about how her friend would react, if she found their former lecturer in Emma's bedroom.

"Well this morning you were still in that funk where you hated life and everything in the world. What's changed since then?"

"I um… I just… I cleared some things up and I guess now I'm in a better place," Emma replied softly, as she sank down onto the sofa. She might not have been ready to come clean about her relationship just yet, but that didn't mean that she didn't want to discuss it with her friend.

"With the Douche-Canoe who was two-timing you?" Ruby asked sceptically.

"He wasn't two-timing me," Emma sighed. "He was set up by his friends. He didn't realise it was a date until he got there."

"Uh huh," Ruby replied, not buying that excuse at all. "So why didn't he leave when he realised it was a date?"

"Because he was also out with his friends?" Emma suggested. "Because he didn't want to seem rude? I don't know, Ruby. But what I do know is that he _never_ intended to hurt me. And I believe him when he tells me that. I _really_ do."

Ruby still didn't look convinced, but she didn't want to upset her friend anymore either. Emma had already been through enough that week as it was. "Okay. Well, I hope he makes it up to you. And I'd better never hear that he's hurt you again, because I will make him pay for it. In creative and painful ways."

Emma stood and pulled her friend in for a tight hug. Even if she doubted that those threats would ever be needed, she appreciated that there was someone in her life that cared enough about her to make them. "Thanks, Ruby. I love you."

"Love you too," Ruby chuckled, as she squeezed her friend a little tighter.

"Now, what are you doing home so early?" Emma suddenly asked, as she pulled back to look her over. "I thought you were spending the night with Graham?"

"It's nothing," Ruby protested, waving away her concern. "We can talk about it tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

Emma hated that her friend felt the need to hide the situation from her. She knew that Ruby was probably only doing it so as not to burden her, after the mess Emma had been all week. But at that moment in time, Emma felt more of a duty to listen to her friend than she ever had before. After all, it was what Ruby had spent her week doing for Emma.

"I'm happy to talk guys for a little while?" she encouraged, as she threw a small look over her shoulder at her closed bedroom door. She only hoped that Jones would understand why she'd been kept away for so long.

Ruby looked torn for a second before she dropped back down onto the sofa with a sigh, and the words, "Ugh. Graham's such a dick. I don't even know why I bother with him sometimes."

"What did he do this time?" Emma chuckled, pulling her legs up to make herself more comfortable, as she offered her friend her full and undivided attention.

* * *

"Jones?" Emma whispered, as she pushed the door to her room closed behind herself and turned the lock, just to be safe. "Are you still here?"

"Where else would I be?" he chuckled.

Emma's eyes took a moment to adjust to the dimness of the room, before they fell on the shape of his body, sat a little awkwardly at the bottom of her bed.

"I'm sorry. Ruby wanted someone to talk to, and I didn't want to blow her off when she was angry and upset."

"It's okay," he assured her. "I understand. I'd have done the same thing if I'd been in your position."

Emma flicked on the light by her bed, offering her a better view of the man sat in her room. But she frowned at what she saw. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, as she moved to stand a little closer to him.

"I hurt you. Your friend made it pretty clear that I ruined this week for you. I don't know if there's anything I could ever say that will make that right, Emma."

She took another small step forward at his words, to finally put herself in touching distance of him. Jones had his eyes focused on where he was twisting his hands together in his lap, so Emma reached out to tilt his chin up, making sure that they would meet hers.

"It's okay," she started. When he opened his mouth to speak again, Emma let her free hand fall over his lips to gently silence him. "It's okay, Killian. We all make mistakes. It's human nature. You've apologized and explained your choices to me, and I've apologized and explained mine. All we can do now is put the past behind us and move on. That is… as long as you still want to?"

"I do," he rushed to clarify, bringing his own hands up to settle on her hips. "I really do. I meant what I said before, Emma. I missed you this week."

"I missed you too."

Emma leaned down to finally brush her mouth against his, savouring that familiar feel once more. Jones's lips were always so soft, a direct contrast to the firmness and confidence that he infused his kisses with. Nobody had ever kissed her the way he did, so sure of themselves, and the moves they were making.

She allowed her hand to slip out from under his chin, and slid it around the side of his neck to play with the soft hairs that rested there. When his tongue brushed lightly against her lips, asking for her permission to deepen their kiss, Emma gasped out her agreement.

Killian's own hands climbed up a little higher, one settling on her waist, while the other slipped into her long blonde hair. Using a gentle grip, he tilted her head slightly to give him a better angle to work with. He teased her lips with his own, sucking gently on the top one as he allowed his tongue to trace the bottom, before playfully nipping at it.

When Emma groaned into his kisses and began letting her own tongue flick out to meet his, she felt some of his carefully controlled composure crack just a little. The hand on her waist tightened as he pulled her to stand between his legs, bringing their bodies closer together.

But it made the angle for kissing that much more awkward.

Emma pulled back just far enough to assess the situation between them, as Jones pressed his kisses into her collarbone, not yet ready for things to be over between the two of them. When he bit down gently on the sensitive skin of her neck, and then soothed his tongue over the slight sting, she lost all of her own control. Emma took that final step forward she needed to bring her body flush against his own, before she lifted her leg up to slide onto the bed, and over his lap.

Killian groaned as her felt her settle down over him. Her ass was resting comfortably against his thighs, as her chest brushed firmly against his own with every move they made. He knew that he should probably put some distance between the two of them, and that they should take things slowly after the events of the last week. But as her hips rolled gently into his own, all logical thought fled, leaving in its place those primal urges telling him to pull her in closer, and hold her tighter.

Emma gasped as she ground her hips into his a little firmer, feeling him thicken and harden beneath her. There was something about having Jones under her, so clearly effected by her, as she was by him, that left her feeling confident and sexy in a way that nobody else had ever managed to make her feel before.

Until she heard the fist hammering away on her bedroom door.

"Emma?" Ruby's voice called out, as the two of them pulled apart to stare at each other with wide eyes. "I ran out of wipes. Do you mind if I steal a few of yours?"

"Of course not," she called back, hoping that her voice wouldn't betray the lust that was still burning through her veins, and setting her body alight. "I'll be right there."

Emma slid off Jones's lap, giving him a look that clearly told him to be as silent as possible, as she made her way over to her desk to pull out the small packet of facial wipes she kept inside of it. She took a moment to run a brush through her hair, hoping that it would look less suspicious than the rats nest she'd been sporting only a few seconds earlier, before she headed for the door.

"Is everything okay?" Ruby asked, when she finally pulled it open enough to see her friend stood on the other side. "You don't normally lock your door at night."

"Sorry. I'm just trying to force myself to catch up on all of the studying I've been slacking on this week. If I lock myself in, I'm less tempted to come out and binge watch Netflix exclusives with you."

"Huh. Maybe I should start doing that?" Ruby chuckled, as Emma held out the pack of wipes for her friend to take. "Don't study too hard," she warned. "You'll burn yourself out. You're entitled to take some time to yourself, every once in a while."

"I'll be in bed before midnight," Emma promised her friend. "Goodnight, Ruby."

"Goodnight, Ems."

Emma waited until she saw her friend slip back into her own room before she closed the door once more, and twisted the lock on it.

"Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Jones chuckled, holding his hand out for her in silent invitation. Emma didn't hesitate to take it, as she allowed him to pull her down to sit on the bed next to him. "We probably shouldn't be rushing this side of things right now anyway."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed, even as her brain was screaming that there was absolutely nothing _wrong_ with what the two of them had been doing. "Ruby will fall asleep soon. You don't mind waiting to leave until then, do you?"

"Of course not," Jones assured her. "I don't want to put you into an awkward position with your friend."

"I trust her," Emma explained. "I'd trust her to keep this to herself. So there's nothing to worry about there. I just… I'm not so sure _now_ is the best time to make the introductions between you two. She's not exactly your biggest fan at the moment."

"Good point."

Killian took a look around the small room in an attempt to finish calming himself down, as his girlfriend lost herself in her own thoughts. He couldn't help but notice the lack of pictures inside of it. Emma had one of herself and Ruby, sat on top of her dresser. But that was all he could spot of any kind of personal nature. Everything else was just generic paintings and posters.

"We could watch a movie?" Emma suddenly suggested. "To help pass the time? I have my laptop, so we could use that for Netflix?"

"That would be nice. We discuss movies so much, it's about time we watched one together."

Emma chuckled as she switched her laptop on, and shifted her desk chair around to the end of the bed. It wasn't quite as good as having a proper stand for the device to rest on, but she had found that sitting her MacBook on the chair made it easier to see the screen, than when it was perched on top of her dresser.

Jones looked a little unsure about where he should position himself to watch the film, and Emma giggled at the look that was currently painted over his face. She'd seen him looking nervous and uncertain before, but she wasn't sure she'd ever seen him look so perplexed.

"You can sit against the headboard, if you want?" she offered. "If you turn the pillows up and rest against those, it's actually not too uncomfortable."

Jones took a moment to pull off his boots before he did as she instructed, making himself as comfortable as he could, on the narrow bed.

"Sorry," she apologized again, "I know it's small."

"Don't worry about that. As long as you're here, it'll be perfect."

She smiled shyly at his compliment before setting the film to play, and moving around to the other side of the bed. There wasn't much room for two fully grown adults to spread out over it, so Emma hesitated for a moment, wondering where best to sit herself.

"If it's not too forward, might I suggest this?" Jones opened his arms for her, and Emma giggled as she kicked off her own shoes to slide into his embrace.

"I was literally just grinding myself into your lap. You'd think snuggling would be less awkward."

"Sometimes the sexual side of things comes easier to us than the affectionate one," he explained, as he tangled their legs together and smoothed Emma's hair away from her face for her. "What movie did you choose?"

"Good Will Hunting. I figured that after your horror about how I'd never seen it before, maybe this would be the perfect time to rectify that?"

"I can't believe you've gotten to twenty-two years of age without seeing that movie. It's a classic!"

Emma toyed a little with the buttons on Jones's shirt, as she wondered how best to respond to his outrage. She was tempted to brush it off with a joke of her own, given how their day had already progressed. But a large part of her brain was screaming at her to be honest with him. That if she wanted their relationship to work, then they both needed to communicate honestly with each other.

"They um… they don't tend to have those kinds of movies in the group homes," she whispered into his chest. "And when I was lucky enough, or unlucky in some cases, to get a foster family, they didn't tend to like you messing with expensive electronics. You just got the basics and were grateful for that, because you'd never really _had_ those before anyway."

Jones stiffened underneath her, as he tightened his arms around her small frame. "I'm so sorry, Emma. That was completely insensitive of me."

She pushed herself up onto her elbows to meet his gaze, so that Jones would know she meant what she was about to say. "You don't need to be sorry. It's not insensitive if you had no way of knowing about the situation."

"I might not have known the _exact_ situation, but I knew about your past. I should have known that could have been the reason behind something like this." He brushed the hair back from her face once more, allowing his fingers to linger as he traced the curve of her jaw. "What… um… what did you mean by 'unlucky in some cases?'" he asked carefully.

Killian wasn't sure he wanted an answer to his question, but he knew that he'd never sleep that night without hearing one.

Emma settled herself back down into his arms, using his embrace to fight off the chills that wanted to climb her spine, at the thought of some of the worst memories from her past.

"Some foster families were clearly only in it for the money. They gave you the bare minimum and you were expected to be grateful for it. Some expected you to _work_ for it. Some of them already had foster children, and those kids had problems of their own. Drugs, drink, violence – they were all the kinds of things you did your best to avoid in the group homes, and out on the streets. And some were in it for the wrong reasons entirely. I was one of the lucky ones. I got away before it could get too bad."

"Fuck me," Jones sighed, as he dropped his head down to rest on top of her own.

Without saying anything, Emma had told him everything he needed to know about why she'd gone without, in her past. She'd told him why she had more life experience at the age of twenty-two, than he had at the age of thirty-seven.

Thanks to his upbringing and the success of his career, Killian had never wanted for much in his life. But in that moment, all he wanted was for Emma Swan to _never_ feel that way again.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	28. Chapter 27

When Emma's alarm sounded the next morning, it took her a moment to realize that something wasn't quite right. She reached out to silence her phone, and then dropped her hand down to cover the heavy arm that was wrapped around her waist.

"What time is it?" Jones mumbled from behind her, as he pressed himself in closer.

It was early, and Emma knew that she needed to get up. She had to open the coffee shop that morning, and she also needed to sneak her boyfriend out of the apartment before Ruby woke up.

But there was something about the warmth of his body, as it was pressed into her own, that left her feeling comforted and content in a way that Emma had never felt before.

"Early," she whispered back. "We have a moment, though."

Jones hummed his acknowledgement of her statement, before pulling Emma back into his embrace.

She hadn't realized that she'd fallen back to sleep until the gentle scratch of stubble against her neck roused her from her dreams, along with a soft whisper of, "It's time to get up, Beautiful."

Emma took a moment to gently pull herself out of her slumber, before twisting carefully in Jones's arms. The bed wasn't terribly big, so they'd spent most of the night pressed together.

But it hadn't been awkward in any way.

"What time is it?" she asked him, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. It looked a little messier than usual, but he still looked like he was ready to model her bedsheets there and then.

"Ten past four," he whispered softly, as he bent his head to brush his lips to hers. "I remember you saying you usually got up at four to get ready for work on Sundays, so I didn't want to leave you too long."

"Thanks." As much as Emma hated the idea of leaving the warmth and comfort of her bed, especially when Jones was sharing it with her, she appreciated that he wasn't letting her sleep late. Betty trusted her to open the shop on Sunday mornings, so the last thing Emma wanted to do was betray that trust her boss had placed in her. "I should um… I should go and shower."

Jones nodded his understanding and lifted his arm from her waist, to let Emma slide off the bed. When she turned back to face him, he seemed to sense the worry that was filling her mind, as he added, "I'll be here when you're done."

Emma gathered up all of the things that she'd need to get ready for her day, sending Jones and her bed one last lingering look, before slipping out of the room to pad over to the bathroom. It was weird to shower and dress for the day knowing that her boyfriend was back in her bedroom, waiting for her to finish. A large part of Emma wanted to go back and drag him into the room with her. The shower wasn't terribly big, but she was certain they could find a way to make it work. While another part of her just wanted to curl up in his arms and forget all of her responsibilities for the rest of the weekend. She'd missed the feeling of comfort that his presence managed to infuse her with. And now that she had it back, Emma didn't want to let it go again.

When she finally made it back to her bedroom, refreshed from the shower and dressed in clean clothes, it was to find Jones straightening up from the night before.

"I can do that when I get home from work," she scolded gently.

"I know. I just thought I'd make things a little easier for you when you do," he explained, as he made his way over to where she was standing. "Can I walk you to work this morning?"

"Don't you wanna go home and get some proper sleep?"

"I actually slept pretty well last night," he teased. "I know you've probably been doing this for years without me, but I don't like the thought of you walking alone this early in the morning."

Emma wanted to protest that she _had_ been making that walk for years without him to escort her there, _and_ without any problems. But having someone other than Ruby in her life who actually cared enough to want to make sure she was safe, was still rather new to her. So instead of being annoyed by Jones's concern, Emma's heart swelled that little bit more at hearing how much he cared.

"Okay," she agreed. "If you wanna stick around when we get there, we could always have some breakfast together before the shop opens?"

"That sounds like a wonderful plan to me."

"There's um… I left a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom for you, if you wanted to use it?" she offered softly. When she'd pulled it out of the cabinet after brushing her own teeth that morning, it had seemed like the kind thing to do. Nobody enjoyed that yucky feeling first thing in the morning, before brushing.

But actually making the offer to him, seemed like a much bigger deal. Because they both knew that while the toothbrush probably wouldn't live in Emma's bathroom next to her own, it would live in her bedroom, tucked away in a protective case for the next time Jones ended up spending the night at her apartment.

That one small toothbrush had gone from being a kind gesture, to a promise of what was to come.

* * *

Sneaking Jones out of the apartment was more nerve-wracking than Emma thought it would be. Even though she knew it would be a few hours until Ruby woke up, and that her friend had slept through demolition work in the past, she was still paranoid that Ruby would choose that day to wake a little earlier, and decide to say goodbye to her friend before she left for work.

Emma finally breathed a sigh of relief as they turned the corner on her street, headed for the coffee shop. Jones must have sensed her relaxing slightly, as he waited until that moment to slip his hand into hers, holding it tightly as they made the familiar walk to Emma's place of work.

"So... will I get to see you on Wednesday?" he asked after a moment.

"If you still want to," she chuckled. "Sorry we never got our picnic date last week."

"Don't be," Killian told her. "It was my fault. But maybe I could make it up to you?" When Emma turned questioning eyes up his way, his confidence faltered for a minute. "I thought that as I've now seen your place, perhaps you might like to see mine?" he suggested. "I could cook for us? Or we could order takeout?"

"That would be nice," she agreed. "I bet your couch is much more comfortable than ours is."

Killian shrugged his shoulders a little in response. It was his own way of saying he was pretty sure it would be, but that he didn't want to voice that opinion and hurt Emma's feelings. She and Ruby had done well, considering their limited income, and he didn't want to say anything that would offend the girls. After all, he'd been in their position before.

* * *

It didn't take long for the two of them to arrive at the darkened coffee shop, without any signs of trouble at all. If she had been with anyone else, Emma would have gloated that she knew everything would be fine. But the comfort of Jones's hand in her own, stopped her from doing so. She would gladly let him walk her to work every day of her life, if that was what he wished to do.

While Emma moved to deactivate the alarm, Killian flicked the lock on the door once more, knowing that the shop wasn't due to open for at least another ninety minutes.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked, as he watched her make her way around the building, switching on ovens to preheat, and lights as she went along. It was clearly a routine she was familiar with.

"Uh… it's up to you," Emma called back over her shoulder, as she hung her bag in the small closet and grabbed a clean apron. "What would you like to eat? I can make us up something sweet, but it's gonna take me a while. If you'd rather have something savoury, then I can always get started on these first batches of muffin mixes while you run down the road? There's a small café there that do a wonderful breakfast."

"I'll go and get us something to eat," he chuckled, when she emerged from the back room once more. The last thing he wanted to do was make Emma's morning more difficult for her. "Is there anything you don't eat?"

"Whole tomatoes," Emma grimaced. "I never understood the idea of putting tomatoes in breakfast foods. Why would you ruin something good like bacon with _fruit_?"

Killian chuckled at her adorable little rant, as he leaned in to brush his lips sweetly to hers. "Okay. No tomatoes. I'll be back soon."

* * *

While Jones was grabbing them both something to eat, Emma got to work setting the coffee machine up for the day by changing the filter and adding more beans to the tank. When she was finished there, she headed back to the kitchen to begin preparing her first set of mixes for the morning.

Betty always closed slightly earlier on Sundays, so Emma was only expected to prepare roughly a third of their usual sweet treats for the day. As the muffin mixtures were being made, she baked-off sweet pastries that had been prepared in advance. She'd been working the early shift Sunday mornings long enough to know that when the oven beeped to signal the pastries were done, it would be the perfect time to pull them out to cool down, and replace them with her first batch of muffins.

By the time Jones returned to the shop, the building smelled wonderfully of coconut and vanilla.

"I hope this is okay," he worried, as he sat Emma's meal onto their usual table, in the spot that she always took, before he pulled out his own.

"As long as there's no tomatoes, it will be wonderful," she assured him. Emma sat two large mugs of coffee down between them, prepared exactly the way they each liked their drinks, before she took her own seat. The moment she opened the lid on her Styrofoam container, the enticing scent of bacon and eggs wafted her way. "Oh, that smells heavenly," she moaned.

Jones shifted a little awkwardly in his seat at the sound of it, and distracted himself from the carnal thoughts trying to creep into his mind, by cutting into his food. He gave them both a moment just to savour those wonderfully greasy flavours, washed down by the bitterness of the coffee, before he spoke again.

"I um… I've been thinking. Is there um… Are there any experiences in the city that you've always wanted to enjoy, but have never had the chance to?" he asked quietly.

Emma frowned a little as she replied, "Dozens. Why?"

"Well… don't get me wrong, I've loved the dates we've had so far," he began carefully. "In fact, I'm pretty sure they're some of the best dates I've been on in recent years. But I keep thinking about how you said that you've been careful with your money, so as not to end up in a place where you're forced to go without again. And while I completely commend you for doing that, and absolutely think it was the right thing to do, I hate the thought of you missing out. So, if you'll let me, I'd kinda like to give you some of those experiences you've missed out on. If anyone in this city deserves them Emma, it's you."

Emma took a moment to think over Jones's offer. Normally she would object to the idea of a man believing that he could provide experiences she was missing out on, just because of her status in life. But she could tell that Jones wasn't trying to undermine her in any way. And he wasn't trying to flaunt his more extravagant lifestyle, as a way to try and impress her. He was genuinely offering her the chance to experience some of the incredible opportunities New York City had to offer. And the more that Emma thought about it, the more she realised that some of those experiences she'd always wanted, could be made so much better with him by her side.

"Maybe we could trade off?" she suggested. "I mean, things like tickets to the ballet, opera and theatre are a little out of my league right now. But I've always wanted to do the carriage rides in Central Park. Or skating at Rockefeller's Center. _Oh_ , we could climb the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building. That sort of thing."

"You know, I've never done any of that stuff either," Jones mused quietly. "They always seemed like activities that would be appreciated more with someone by your side, than on your own. So I never really bothered with them. But if you're up for it, I could book us tickets for the theatre next weekend?"

"You have yourself another date, Jones."

* * *

When Betty arrived later that morning to begin her day, she was greeted by the sight of her youngest employee, sat at one of the tables in her shop. Emma had been joined by one of their best customers, and the two of them were laughing together as they enjoyed what looked to be a stone-cold breakfast.

Gloria had called her the night before, to explain to her friend what had happened between Emma and Dr. Jones. She'd told Betty that she had hope the young couple would soon reconcile, after Emma had extended an olive branch to her beau. So as Betty called out a cheery hello to each of them, while she made her way through to the back office, she pulled out her phone to place a quick call to her best friend.

Because there was absolutely no way this news could wait until she saw Gloria again on Monday morning.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	29. Chapter 28

"You seem happier," Ruby noted Monday morning, as she placed a coffee down in front of her friend, and then took her own seat. The two girls had ninety minutes of free time before their next class began, and instead of spending it studying in the library, they had decided to spend it catching up with each other.

"I am," Emma assured her. "I really am."

Jones had spent most of his Sunday morning at work with Emma, drinking the coffee he'd missed dearly the week before, and charming Betty in the process. It had been quite enjoyable for Emma to watch, and oddly reassuring to see that he had the same effect on other women, as he seemed to have on her.

"And you're sure about this guy?" her friend pressed. When Emma opened her mouth to reply, Ruby held up a hand to stop her as she said, "I just mean… I don't want him to take advantage of you, Ems. You said before that he's older than you, and he's already broken your heart once. I just want you to be sure that he's worth a second chance."

"He's not Neal. He's… it's hard to explain, Ruby. He's just… different, you know? His age gives him that maturity most guys our own age don't have. And he seems to _really_ want this. To _really_ want me. And I believe that. I mean… this relationship… it has its consequences for both of us if this goes wrong. So I believe that he's really interested in me for all of the right reasons." Emma paused to take a sip from her coffee and nibble on the snack bar she'd brought with her that morning, before she added, "If it reassures you at all, Gloria and Betty seem to believe it too."

"That does help," Ruby chuckled. "They are excellent judges of character."

"Yes they are."

A comfortable silence settled over the two girls for a moment as Ruby worked up the courage to ask her next question. She'd been happy to remain silently curious in the beginning, as she'd expected her friend to eventually open up to her. But the more time that seemed to pass without any information, the more her curiosity had grown.

Especially when she noticed the grin that had formed on Emma's face, as she tapped out some kind of message on her phone.

"Is that him?" she asked.

"Yeah. He's just asking if I have any food allergies," Emma explained.

Ruby suspected that the message contained far more than that question, given the size of the smile on her friend's face.

"Is he taking you out somewhere?"

"Um… not quite." Emma lifted her head to briefly meet her friend's eyes, as she sat her phone down onto the table beside her mug. "He's offered to cook for me on Wednesday."

"He can cook? Nice," Ruby chuckled. "I wish Graham would. I'm sick of eating either fast food or takeout with him."

"Maybe you should trade him in for an older model?" Emma suggested, with humour dancing behind her eyes.

"Maybe I should."

Ruby let the silence settle between them once again. It was never awkward when the two women were together. While she normally preferred to fill any free time they had with conversation, given how busy their lives could be, Ruby understood that Emma wasn't the type of person who talked just to fill a void. And she liked to allow her friend the comfort she drew from quiet reflection as often as she could, just as she knew that Emma would start pointless conversations to make her feel better during difficult times.

"So… am I ever gonna learn this guy's name?" she eventually asked.

Emma's eyes flew up from her mug to meet her friend's for a moment, and Ruby could see the conflict playing out behind them. There was a reason that Emma had been hiding this relationship from her that had nothing at all to do with his age, and she suspected everything to do with that little piece of information her friend had dropped earlier in the conversation.

But Ruby couldn't quite work out what that was yet.

"Killian," Emma whispered quietly. "His name's Killian."

Ruby was certain she didn't know of any Killians, but to be fair, she knew very few people who would fit into the sugar daddy category her friend's new man seemed to fill. She was just happy that Emma had finally confided something else about the mystery guy to her, because if Ruby was being completely honest, the secrecy around their relationship was starting to worry her now.

* * *

The rest of Emma's week passed by in a blur of blissful normalcy. Jones messaged and emailed her whenever he could, while Emma would call between her classes, or whenever she had a moment alone. Gloria had also sent a few of her own messages, just to check how her friend was doing, and how things between the two lovers were going.

But as she rolled out of bed on Wednesday morning, Emma found her anxiety levels increasing once more. While she couldn't wait to see Jones again, the thought of going back to his home was filling her with dread.

The guy was clearly better off than she was, and it was likely that his apartment in the city would reflect his position in life. Emma wasn't sure it was the kind of place where jeans and a plaid shirt would work, but she was pretty low on alternative options. None of the casual clothes she owned seemed fancy enough for the occasion, and the ones that might work would definitely look out of place while she was in class that morning. If she wore one of the few dresses she owned, she worried that it would look like she was trying too hard, and Emma didn't want that either.

In the end, she settled on a pair of her favourite jeans, that would be comfortable enough to sit in for the three hours worth of classes she had before Jones would be meeting her, and paired them with a slightly dressier, faux-silk, halter-neck top. It was probably a little too dressy for an afternoon date, but Emma wanted to look good for her man, and she couldn't deny that she felt beautiful in it.

"Wow, Ems. Look at you," Ruby called out, as she watched her friend finally emerge from her room a few moments later, and head straight for the coat rack by the front door. "He won't know what's hit him."

"Thanks." Emma smiled bashfully as she slipped on a black faux-leather jacket, and looked down at herself. "You don't think it's too much, do you?"

"You might give Walsh a heart attack this morning, but as long as you're happy, fuck what anyone else thinks. And if this Killian is as good to you as you say he is, your happiness and comfort will be all that matters to him."

"Thanks, Ruby." Emma leaned down to press a kiss to her friend's cheek, before she checked the time on her phone. "Now hurry up and finish that or we're gonna be late. And you know how much Midas _hates_ tardiness."

"Ugh," Ruby groaned, as she quickly shoved the rest of her toast into her mouth, and grabbed her own jacket from the back of her seat, to run out of the door with her friend.

Midas was always the worst way to start their day.

* * *

Ruby had been right. Walsh had almost swallowed his own tongue that morning, when he'd gotten a good look at Emma, along with a few of the other males that made up the student body of the law school they studied at. But Emma didn't seem to notice any of their reactions. Instead, she kept her focus on the lectures and classes she had for the day, taking her notes just as she always did, as the countdown to finals began.

When they finally left their last class of the day, Emma did so with a small spring in her step, as Graham and Walsh joined the two girls making their way out of the building.

"Do you have time for a coffee?" Ruby asked, although she suspected that she already knew the answer to that question.

"I'm gonna meet Killian off-campus and we'll grab one together, before heading back to his place."

"Who's Killian?" Graham asked curiously, as his mind cycled through all of the guys he knew in school. Thanks to his position on the basketball team, he'd met more than his fair share of them. But he was certain that he'd never met a Killian before.

"Emma's boyfriend," Ruby explained, before turning her attention back to her best friend. "Well… be careful, and call me if you need anything."

"I will do," Emma chuckled, as she pulled the other girl in for a hug.

She watched for a moment as her friends set off for their usual café that afternoon, before pulling out her phone to send Jones a message letting him know that she was on her way. When she finally turned to head back to the Starbucks they'd met at two weeks prior, the smile had returned to her face once more.

* * *

Killian's leg bounced restlessly against the floor of the coffee shop he'd been camped out in for the last hour. He'd consumed far too much coffee in that time, but a part of him hadn't quite believed that he'd be seeing Emma again that afternoon. And so, he'd found himself leaving his apartment early, just to make sure that he wouldn't accidentally miss her.

When her message flashed up on his screen to let him know that she was on her way, he smiled brightly down at the device. After tucking it safely away, he headed over to the counter for the final time that afternoon, to order himself a bottle of water and Emma's preferred drink, before he took his seat by the window once more.

It didn't take him long to spot her headed his way down the street, and when he did, he almost choked on the mouthful of water he was trying to swallow. While she was still dressed reasonably casually for the day, the red satin top she'd chosen for their afternoon looked absolutely stunning on her, and succeeded in pulling his eyes down to her cleavage more often than he would like to admit.

He rose quickly from his chair, before heading outside to meet her half-way there, suddenly very eager to have Emma Swan all to himself once more.

"Hey," she greeted, her face brightening the moment she spotted him, as he offered her first the coffee he'd purchased for her a few moments before, and then bent to place a sweet kiss to her lips. "How has your day been?"

"Productive," he chuckled, as he slipped his arm around her waist to guide her over to the small lot where he'd parked his car. "Yours?"

"Not too bad. We're starting to prepare for finals now, so things are getting a little busier."

He stopped them moving for a moment to slip his fingers under Emma's chin, and tilted her face up so her eyes would meet his. "You don't have anything to worry about, Emma. You're a truly gifted student. The kind any educator would dream to have in their class. You've got this."

Emma rocked up on her toes to brush her lips lightly against his. It was her own way of showing him just how much his belief in her abilities meant to her, before she pulled away. Her fingers slipped easily down his arm until they found his own, linking them together tightly for the rest of their walk.

"Thank you, Jones. I hope I won't let you down."

Killian didn't know how to explain to her that there was very little she could do to disappoint him. Her drive, passion and focus had already impressed him beyond words, and he knew that it wasn't about to slacken now that she was so close to the end of her studies. So instead, he squeezed her hand gently as they turned into the parking lot at the end of the road, and picked their way through the vehicles there until they came to his familiar car.

* * *

Emma's leg began bouncing restlessly against the floor of the vehicle as soon as Killian started the engine.

"Hey, relax," he soothed, as he reached over to rest his hand against her knee, stopping the nervous tick. "If I didn't want you in my home, I wouldn't have invited you back. You have nothing to worry about."

Emma shot him a small smile, but he could sense the nerves around the edges of it, and he only hoped that once they were inside the privacy of his apartment, she'd relax a little more.

When they turned down onto her street, Killian watched as confusion spread across her face, and he chuckled a little while he navigated his way down to the end of the road, before turning onto the street that would lead down to his own.

"Holy shit. I walk this way every single day," Emma exclaimed. "How close do you live?"

"Within walking distance," he chuckled. "I told you there was nothing nefarious going on when we kept bumping into each other after I first moved back. I was literally just in the right place at the right time."

It was only a handful of minutes before he was pulling into the underground parking garage for his building, and the space that had been reserved for his apartment. But once he killed the engine, the tension inside the vehicle seemed to grow. There was something about the two of them sitting so close, in the semi-darkness of the garage, that made him shift a little awkwardly in his leather seat, as he turned to face the beautiful woman to his right.

"We um… we should probably go up," he told her unnecessarily.

"Yeah. We probably should."

Emma clicked the button to release her seatbelt, but instead of leaning over to open the door, she swayed in closer to his space, bringing with her that enticing nutty scent that had become a rapid favourite of his.

Killian was the one to close the distance between the two of them. While his lips moved fluidly against her own, he brought one hand up to cup the side of her face, while his other slipped around her waist, pulling her a little further over the seat so that he could reach her better. Emma responded in kind, reaching up to run one hand through his hair, tugging gently on the slightly longer strands at the back of his head, as she wrapped her other arm around his shoulders for leverage.

It was only when he felt the resistance of his own safety belt, cutting across his chest as he tried to move closer, that Killian remembered where they were, and what they were doing. He slowed their kisses to gentle nips of teeth and light brushes of lips, before pulling away with a rueful chuckle.

"We should um… we should probably take this inside before someone gets the wrong idea."

"Yeah," Emma agreed, blushing a little even in the darkness of the parking garage. "Besides, you promised me food, Jones. And I am absolutely ravenous."

Killian groaned in his seat at Emma's choice of words, before finally releasing his own belt and tugging on the car door, to let in a rush of cool air from outside. If he knew his girlfriend as well as he thought he did, then he knew that she'd chosen her words very carefully, to subtly convey her double entendre.

* * *

 **Emma's look here is based on Jen's look for the Grind Premier in 2003.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	30. Chapter 29

"Wow, this place is amazing," Emma praised, as she followed Jones into his home. The small hallway they'd entered through was bright, thanks to the large windows at the far end of the room. There were two closed doors to her left, and one to the right, before she stepped out into the open-planned living space.

"My entire apartment would fit in this one room," she mumbled quietly.

"I'm sorry. I know it's a little much, but I liked the location," Jones explained.

"Oh, don't apologize," she told him, as she made her way over to the floor-to-ceiling windows set along the back wall, giving her a wonderfully breathtaking view of the city. "Do you honestly think that if I could afford a place like this, that I wouldn't buy it? You worked hard for your money, Jones. Be proud of what it's bought for you."

Killian made his way carefully over to stand behind Emma, before he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her back into his chest.

"You have an incredible view," she pointed out, as she relaxed into his embrace.

"Yes, I do," he agreed, but he kept his eyes fixed on the woman in his arms. "You look stunning today, Emma."

She turned around to face him, looking a little shocked that he would choose to appreciate her, more than the view outside of his windows. Killian found himself chuckling at the adorable expression she was wearing, as he leaned down to brush a kiss to the tip of her nose, making her adorable confusion turn to cute giggles.

"Did you want a full tour now, or would you prefer that after we eat?" he asked, pulling back to meet her eyes.

"Could we eat first?" Emma suggested. "I'm not gonna lie, the thought of watching you cook has me fascinated."

"Of course," he chuckled, bending down to brush one last kiss to her lips, before letting go of her hips in favor of heading over to his kitchen.

The space was tucked into the corner of the room, but it looked bright and roomy, as opposed to the dark, cramped kitchenette that Emma and Ruby had to work with. It was set just above the lounge, on a raised platform, and the dark wood of the floor and granite countertops contrasted well with the bright white of the cabinets and appliances.

Emma didn't even want to think about how much the place must have cost him.

Instead, she followed just behind Jones, before pulling herself up to sit on one of the black leather stools that had been placed at the end of the counter, as she asked, "Can I help with anything?"

"Nope. You're my guest. Let me spoil you," Jones told her, as he began pulling ingredients from his refrigerator. "Would you like a drink at all? I know you like Diet Cola, so I have that. But I wasn't sure what else you would drink, so I have some lemonade, still and sparkling water, iced tea, wine and beer."

"You didn't have to do all of that for me," she giggled. "The Diet Cola would have been fine."

"I wanted you to feel at home here."

Emma smiled softly at the man hovering nervously by his fridge. The idea that he'd wanted her to fit into his life just as much as she had, warmed her from the inside out. It gave her the hope that even though they were both at different stages of their life right then, they'd be able to make this thing between them work.

"Well, so far you're doing well there, Jones. But for future reference, the still water, Diet Cola and wine suit me just fine."

He chuckled heartily as he pulled out a bottle of white wine and held it up for her inspection. "I'm not trying to get you drunk," Jones explained. "I just thought that it would be nice to share a bottle together over lunch, as we've never really had the chance to do that before."

"Well… you could always take me out to dinner one night," she teased. "Sadly, McDonalds don't serve wine with their Big Macs. And they tend to frown when you try and bring your own in."

"Is there a story there that I should know about?" he asked, as he popped the cork on the bottle, and pulled out two glasses from one of the overhead cabinets.

"I wish," Emma giggled. "I've always been one of those people who follows the rules, so I've never done anything like that before, I'm afraid. But I've heard from friends that if you're caught with alcohol inside of one, they usually kick you out."

Killian's smile dimmed a little at Emma's words, as he realized what she wasn't saying. She wasn't a rule-breaker because she'd always needed to work so hard to get ahead in life. She didn't have the luxury of knowing that there was someone behind her who could smooth things over for her, or pull some strings when she needed help, like others did.

"Well, when you ace your finals next year, we'll celebrate by taking a bottle with us to McDonalds to make up for it," he promised. Because Killian was certain that Emma would ace those exams, and he'd suddenly found himself wanting nothing more than to do his best to give her all of the experiences in life that she'd had to go without, while she still wanted him around.

"So, what's for lunch?" Emma asked, trying to divert his attention away from her studies. But he didn't miss the beautiful red blush that crept up her chest to fill her cheeks.

"As Italian is your favorite cuisine, I was planning to make seafood linguine. And then we have an apple and walnut Crostata for dessert." As he spoke, he began setting different ingredients down onto the counter top, and Emma's mouth started to water. It looked like Jones was planning to go all out with their lunch, given the variety of seafood he'd purchased. Most of which she hadn't consumed in a while, thanks to her incredibly strict student budget.

Which, when she really thought about it, was probably why he'd chosen the meal.

"Is that fresh pasta dough?" Emma asked, as he sat a lump of something covered in plastic wrap down before him.

"Yeah," Jones admitted bashfully. It had taken a couple of attempts that morning to get the dough just right, but he was pretty proud of the end result.

"Do you always make your own pasta, or is this just your way of trying to impress me with your culinary skills?"

The blush that colored the tips of his ears told Emma everything that she needed to know, and she giggled a little at the sight of it.

"You know you don't have to go to any extraordinary lengths to impress me, right?" she asked. "I'm already suitably impressed by your educational and work backgrounds, Dr. Jones."

"I know I don't," he told her honestly. "It's not just about impressing you, it's… it's about giving you those experiences in life that you deserve. The ones you've missed out on so far."

"Thank you. I really appreciate that."

* * *

"Wow. That might be the best Crostata I've ever eaten," Emma praised, as she finally set her spoon down in her empty bowl. She would normally have been ashamed of how clean that bowl was, but the food had simply been too good for her to care.

"I can't take credit for that, I'm afraid," Jones chuckled, as he stood to take their bowls back into the kitchen. "I'm not a baker, so this is from the Italian restaurant we ate at before."

"Seriously, you did _not_ have to go to that much trouble for me. I'd have been happy with the pasta."

"I wanted to, remember," he teased, as he pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, before reaching for what was left of the bottle of wine they had been sharing. "Did you wanna finish this in the lounge? We could watch a movie together," he suggested.

"Lead the way, Jones."

Killian chuckled at his girlfriend's adorable gesture, before making his way down to the living space of his apartment. It was primarily dominated by a large black L shaped sofa, that had been aimed at the small wall that separated the lounge from the dining space. The wall itself had a flat-screen television mounted to it, with a small fire place just below it.

As she had expected, Jones's sofa was a lot more comfortable than her own was, and Emma might have groaned a little in pleasure as she sank down onto it.

"Ugh. I'm not leaving this spot."

"As much as I would never complain about having you in my home, I'd have to ask you to leave that spot eventually," Jones chuckled. "The sofa isn't waterproof."

Emma picked up one of the cushions beside her and threw it half-heartedly at the man sat on her other side.

"You're too far away," she mumbled, as she dropped her head back to rest against the couch, and rolled it around to look at him.

"I think you're a little tipsy," Killian whispered, reaching out to gently brush the hair away from Emma's face, that had escaped from her ponytail.

"Nope. I'm just relaxed. And happy," she told him honestly. "I've had a great afternoon with you, Killian."

He sucked in a harsh breath at the sound of his given name falling from Emma's lips once more, before he leaned in to close the distance between the two of them.

What started as soft brushes of lips and gentle caresses of hands, quickly grew with the heat and passion that they'd both come to expect from their encounters. Killian found himself pulling Emma's hair free of the clip she'd used to pin it back, as he tangled his hands through it to tug her in closer.

She was never close enough.

Emma met his passion with her own. She used one hand to grip the hair at the back of his head, as her other slid down to the hem of his shirt, before sliding back up underneath it. She danced her fingers over the taught muscles that were bunching and flexing with each of his movements, as Jones groaned into her kisses.

He wasn't sure which one of them moved first, but Killian soon found himself pressing her back to lay across the sofa, as he settled his body over hers. His legs seemed to fit easily in between her own, and Emma moaned against his lips at the feel of their bodies pressed tightly together.

When they eventually needed air, Jones pulled back just far enough to gulp it in, as Emma began pressing kisses along the open collar of his shirt. She scraped her teeth lightly over the tendons there, as she made her way up to his ear with sucking kisses.

Killian hadn't realized that he'd brought his hand down to brush against the side of her breast until Emma gasped into his neck, and arched her back up to press herself against him.

"Sorry," he mumbled, pulling back to put some distance between the two of them.

"Why are you apologizing?" she asked, as she pushed herself up onto her elbow. She looked a little dazed and incredibly aroused, which wasn't helping the growing problem in his pants. "If it's not already clear, I'm pretty attracted to you. We've been dating for a few months now, Killian. Sex is a part of healthy relationships, isn't it?"

"I just…" he trailed off to push back the hair that was falling across her eyes, and allowed his hand to linger as he stroked softly along her jaw with his thumb. "I don't want to rush this. And I don't want you to think that I'm taking advantage of you, Emma."

She pushed herself up into a sitting position as she reached out to play with the buttons at the top of his shirt. "I'm not a blushing virgin, Killian. And I don't think that you're just using me for sex. I _want_ this. I _want_ you. We're both consenting adults. There's nothing wrong with letting things happen naturally."

"You deserve better than some quick fuck on the sofa," he explained softly.

"It doesn't have to be a quick fuck on the sofa," she chuckled. "We don't even need to take our clothes off. All I'm saying is… don't feel like you can't get lost in a moment and touch me. Unless I'm telling you to stop, then you have nothing to worry about." She leaned up to brush a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw, as her hand curled in his hair once more.

Killian still hadn't fully relaxed, but with every brush of Emma's lips to his skin he softened a little more, as he wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her to him. By the time she'd laid a trail of kisses from one side of his jaw across to the other, and up to that sensitive spot behind his ear, the burst of heat he always felt around her had started rising within him once more, and was urging Killian to move.

Emma bit down gently on his earlobe, before soothing the sting with her tongue. And that was all it took to have him twisting in her arms again, searching for her lips with his. He could feel her smiling into their kiss as he met her passionate and hungry lips with his own.

When he pressed her back down onto the sofa once more, Emma's leg came up to hitch around his hip. She could tell that he was still being slightly cautious with her, so she made a bold decision.

Emma's hands slipped down from where they had been wrapped around Jones's shoulders, and buried in his hair. She took some time to trace the muscles in his back as they tensed and relaxed with Killian's movements, before she dragged her fingers down to his trim waist. Emma gave him a moment to get used to her touch, before she slipped her hands down once more, over the glorious curves of his ass, and pulled his hips tightly into her own.

"Fuck," he gasped, pulling away from her lips as he brushed against her. Emma simply arched into the movement, chasing the hardness she briefly felt pushed against her pelvis.

"Emma," he warned.

"Adult," she reminded him. "Consenting adult." She allowed his talented lips to distract her for just a moment, before she panted out, "I can't believe I'm begging my adult boyfriend to dry-hump me."

Jones dropped his forehead down to rest against her own, as he let out his own strained chuckle. "Well… when you put it like that, it does sound kind of ridiculous."

Emma took a chance and pulled again, as she pushed her hips up to meet his. This time, when they brushed against each other, they both let out twin moans of pleasure at the contact. Emma pulled Jones's lips back down to hers with a desperation she'd never felt before, as the two of them settled into an easy routine of push and pull, that left them both panting with their need for more.

When Killian's hand slipped around from where it had been gripping her hip to brush the back of his fingertips against Emma's bare stomach, she moaned wantonly beneath him.

"Yeah?" he asked, as his fingers hovered over the button at the top of her jeans.

"God yeah," Emma assured him.

Killian didn't take them off.

He knew that if he did, he would be begging her not to leave his apartment that night. And he wanted to make their first time together special for her. Instead, he slipped his hand down to brush against the lace of her panties.

"God, Killian," Emma sighed, letting her head fall back against the arm of the sofa.

"You're so beautiful," he praised, as he watched her eyes flutter closed at the gentle, teasing pressure he was applying. Emma kept them shut until she felt his fingers slip a little lower, down to brush against the damp fabric between her legs. "So wet, Sweetheart."

She bit down gently on her lower lip as she opened her eyes to watch him. But Jones's were fixed on where his hand had disappeared into her jeans. When he finally pushed the lace aside to tease gently along her folds, she couldn't stop the loud moan that fell from her lips.

"So soft and wet," he mumbled.

Emma wasn't sure if Jones knew that he was speaking his thoughts aloud in that moment.

" _Killian. Please_ ," she begged, needing something more than just his soft, teasing touch.

He stroked her gently for a moment longer, gathering up the wetness that was there to bring up to her clitoris, before he began rubbing with more confident strokes. There wasn't much room for him to work with, given that Emma was still mostly dressed, but he hoped that the firmness of his touch would be enough to give her what she needed.

Her back arched away from the sofa as she dug her fingers into his shoulder blades. "Yes. Like that," she panted. "Just like that."

Killian dropped his lips back down to hers, trying to infuse his kisses with everything that he felt in that moment. He was having trouble sorting through the rush of emotions that were crashing around inside of his head, with every whimper and plea for more that fell from her beautiful lips.

When Emma finally came, it was with a soft pant of, "Killian," on her lips, as her hips arched away from the sofa, and further into his touch.

She was aware that she was probably leaving marks on his skin from the tightness of her grip, but Killian didn't seem to care.

Instead, he dipped his head to bathe her neck in soft, feather-light kisses, between whispered words of, "You're so beautiful," and, "I can't believe you're mine."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	31. Chapter 30

For the second time that week, Emma found herself waking to the feel of a firm body pressed into her back, as a heavy arm held her close. It took her a moment to shake off the haze of sleep, but when she did, those wonderful memories from earlier that afternoon came crashing back to her, leaving her feeling light and relaxed.

She turned as best she could to look back at the man resting behind her, and smiled softly when she realized that he was still sleeping peacefully. Whatever he was dreaming about must have been good, as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and the lines around his eyes looked less pronounced.

She spent a moment just appreciating how beautiful Jones really was, and marveling that for some reason, he seemed to want to be with her, before she turned back over to reach for her phone, where it was resting on the coffee table. Emma had known that it was getting late, given how dark the room had become, but it wasn't until she woke the device that she realized just how late it was.

"Fuck," she cursed, bolting upright in Jones's arms, as her eyes landed first on the four numbers at the top of her screen, before dropping down to take in the three messages from her friend beneath it.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a groggy voice, from his place behind her.

"Nothing, I just uh… it's a little later than I expected," she explained, as she swung her legs over the edge of the couch, to turn back to face him.

Jones was looking up at her with a soft smile, and Emma found herself bending down to brush her lips against his, before she even knew what she was doing.

"Thanks. For earlier," she explained, before a sudden thought occurred to her. "Wait… did you..."

"It's okay," he chuckled softly. "Today was about you, Emma. I didn't need to."

"Uh, yeah you did," she countered. "I was there, remember?"

He laughed a little louder as he pushed himself up onto his forearms, to bring his head down to rest against hers. "Trust me when I say that watching you fall apart in my arms, was far more satisfying than anything I could ever have dreamed of. That was more than enough for me today."

Emma closed the distance between the two of them as she brushed her lips over his, sucking softly on his bottom one, before she slipped her tongue between them. Her phone fell onto the cushions with a small bounce as she forgot all about the time and her friend's messages, in favor of wrapping one arm tightly around Jones's waist as the other slipped into the soft hair at the nape of his neck.

When they finally pulled apart they were both breathing a little heavily, and their eyes had darkened with their lust for each other.

"A part of me wants to beg you to stay tonight," Jones whispered, as he played with the ends of a section of Emma's hair.

"A part of me wants to beg you to let me," she chuckled. "But I have early classes tomorrow morning, and nothing here for them."

"I understand."

Killian knew that they both had their own things going on in their life, and that in order for their relationship to work, they would need to make time for it around those, instead of trying to fit their responsibilities in around each other. And he also knew that Emma understood that too. It was part of the reason why they worked so well together.

"Maybe um… maybe you could stay here Saturday night?" he suggested quietly. "It doesn't have to be anything sexual. I just… it's nice waking up with you in my arms."

"I have to work early Sunday morning," she reminded him. "But if you don't mind me waking you at that godawful time of the day, I don't see why I couldn't."

"You know I don't," Jones chuckled, as he leaned in to brush another kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he did so with a bit of a groan, as his back began protesting the awkward angle he'd been reclining at.

Emma giggled at the sound as she stood up to let him swing his own legs off the couch, so that he could twist his body around into a more natural position. "Is everything okay, Old Man?" she teased.

Jones raised a brow at her choice of endearment, as he told her, "You can joke about that now, but I'll have you know that older men have a lot better stamina than younger ones do." When Emma's eyes widened a little at what he'd just implied, he leaned in closer to whisper into her ear, "And we also prefer taking our time with foreplay too," before he stood up to head over to the fridge for a bottle of water.

Leaving Emma to sit in stunned silence as she stared after him.

* * *

When she finally managed to pull herself together, she fired off a quick message to Ruby. Emma wanted to let her friend know that everything was going well, and she would be home later that evening, even if she wasn't sure what time that would be.

"Do you um, do you mind if I use the bathroom?" she asked Jones, sitting the device back down onto the table before she pulled herself up to her feet.

She'd forgotten that her jeans were still undone until that moment, and a slight blush began working its way up her chest at the memory of their afternoon, as she reached down to secure the button once more.

"Of course not," he called back. "It's the first door on the right." Jones nodded back to the hallway that they had walked through when they'd entered the apartment earlier that day, in explanation.

Emma sent a quick smile of thanks in his direction before heading for the small bathroom he'd pointed out to her. The harsh fluorescent lighting inside chased away the last of her sleep haze, and after using the facilities, she took a moment to look herself over in the mirror hanging above the sink.

Her hair was a mess from the way it had been gripped and pulled all afternoon, and her top hung obscenely low. There was a slight redness around her collarbone that was likely from the scratch of Jones's stubble, and her eyes were wide and bright with her happiness.

It was probably the most debauched she'd ever looked in her lifetime, and instead of feeling ashamed about that, Emma felt a kind of happiness that she never thought she'd experience before. Because even though he'd had his concerns about the timing of everything, Jones had more than proved that he cared for her that afternoon.

And sharing that moment with him had been all the better for it.

After taking some time to finger-comb her hair and splash a little water on her face to cool herself down, Emma rearranged her top before finally making her way out of the room, and back through to the lounge. Jones had turned the television on and was sat at the edge of the sofa, but he looked a little tense.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, as she dropped down beside him.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," he chuckled. "Are you okay? No regrets?"

"None at all," Emma assured him, as she leaned in to press a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. The tension in Jones's body seemed to melt away at the contact, as he sank back into the cushions.

"So, is your friend missing you, or can I keep you for a few more hours?" he wondered, as he laced their fingers together to hold her hand tightly in his lap.

"I can stay a while longer," she told him. "As long as you don't mind if I go over a few of my notes from class today, while I'm here?"

"I meant what I said before, Emma. I _want_ you to feel at home here. So set yourself up wherever you feel most comfortable studying, and I'll make us a couple of sandwiches, if you want?"

"Thank you." She placed a sweet kiss to the corner of Jones's mouth before he stood to head back to his kitchen, while she turned to grab her bag.

Emma had always felt more comfortable sat at a desk when she worked, so she took a seat at the small dining table once more, as she began pulling out all of her books to settle around her. Jones sent her a small smile from where he was busy slicing vegetables in the kitchen, before he turned back to his own task.

It all felt so domestic and normal, that Emma couldn't bring herself to feel worried about being unsociable.

Out of all of the men that had ever played a significant role in her life, Jones was the only one who had never made her feel bad for the time she spent on her school work. He wasn't complaining that all of her attention should be fixed on him, while they were still technically enjoying their date. Instead, he made them both a quick snack and a pot of tea to share, before he disappeared for a moment and then reappeared with his own laptop in hand, to set up just across the table from her.

"When's your trip to Vegas?" she asked suddenly, when the memories of an earlier conversation came flooding back to her. Emma knew that he'd been spending most of his time recently working on his lecture for the conference, and the book that he was writing. So she assumed that her boyfriend would be doing the same that evening.

"The end of the month," he replied, a little distractedly. "It's for an annual legal conference. I used to attend them regularly when I lived stateside, but this is the first time that I've accepted their offer to speak at one." He raised his eyes from the screen he'd been staring at to flick a small smile over at her, before dropping them back to his laptop once more.

A comfortable silence settled over the two of them for a moment as Killian finished typing the section of his book that he was working on, and Emma reviewed another set of notes that she had made about constitutional law. It was only broken when he eventually hit save on his document and then softly closed the lid on his laptop.

"You um… you're probably gonna be busy with class and work, but um… if you wanted to come with me, I could arrange that."

Emma smiled softly at her rather nervous looking boyfriend. "That wasn't a hint," she teased. "I just wondered how long I'd get to spend with you before I had to share you with all of the other great legal minds in the country."

"Oh, I know. But it was a genuine offer," he assured her. "If you wanna come with me, I can make that happen."

"I don't want to get in your way," she protested. "I mean, I've seen your educational and work history, Jones. You're like a rock star to these people. I'm sure they'll want to keep you all to themselves, while they have you around."

"That doesn't mean that I won't have time to spend with you," he told her. "I'm sure that you'd enjoy the lectures being given, and then when the conference is over for the day, we can do something in the evening together? Maybe go to a show, or visit some of the sights?"

Emma was a little ashamed to admit just how much she wanted that trip to Vegas that Jones was describing. While the two of them weren't exactly sneaking around in the shadows of the city, she knew that there were places they had been deliberately avoiding, so as not to draw unwanted attention to themselves, until they knew how they felt about each other. In Vegas, they wouldn't have that problem. They could go wherever they wanted together, without worrying about running into people they knew who would jump to the wrong conclusions about their relationship.

"I can ask Betty for some time off," she suggested. "But I'd need to check my schedule for school first. I have a feeling that the conference might clash with the end of our exams. And I really can't miss those."

"Of course not," he agreed. "But maybe you could fly out and join me when you're finished? If you want to come, that is?"

"I do. I really do."

* * *

"Thank you so much for driving me back."

Emma didn't want to admit it out loud, but she was finding it hard to reach for the door handle on Jones's car in that moment. Pulling it open would feel like popping that bubble they had existed in since that afternoon. And neither of them was really ready for that to happen just yet.

"It's no problem," he assured her. "I don't like the thought of you being alone after dark. This is probably more for my benefit than it is for yours."

Emma giggled a little as she unbuckled her seatbelt, and slid a little closer to him to brush her lips softly over his. "Thank you. I appreciate your selfish desire to keep me safe."

Before she could pull away, Killian brought his hand up to curl around the back of her head, as he teased her lips softly with his own. While the two of them had probably spent most of their afternoon kissing, he couldn't seem to get enough of her that day.

"I uh… I should probably go inside," Emma panted, when she eventually pulled back for some air. "If not, we're probably gonna end up doing something indecent in this car."

"Well, the car wouldn't complain," Jones teased. "Go inside and get some rest," he told her, as he pulled back to put some distance between the two of them. "I'll see you again soon enough."

"Will you be at the coffee shop Saturday afternoon?"

"The same time and table as usual," he promised. "I've really missed Gloria."

Emma giggled a little at the look on her boyfriend's face, which told her that his statement had been a completely genuine one. "She does have that effect on people."

When their laughter eventually died down, they both knew that it was time to say their final goodbyes, before Killian could turn the car around and take Emma back home with him again.

"Good night, Jones," she whispered. "I had a great day with you."

"Good night, Emma. I had a wonderful day with you too." He leaned in to press one last kiss to her lips, before pulling back to let her open the car door and step out onto the sidewalk.

Killian waited until the door to her building had closed behind her before he started his engine once more, to head back to his empty apartment.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	32. Chapter 31

"So, how was your date last night?" Ruby asked, as she took a seat at their small table the following morning.

"It was uh… it was good. Do you want eggs?"

"Yep… So?" she pushed, when she realized that it was unlikely her friend would offer up any details without a gentle nudge.

"So what?" Emma stepped briefly away from the stovetop to place a mug of coffee in front of her friend, before she turned her attention back to whatever it was she had been preparing for their breakfast.

"Did you get laid? Was he any good?"

Emma let out a slightly stunned chuckle at her friend's probing questions. She should have known that her late return to the apartment would have left Ruby's mind racing.

"Nope, so I guess I can't really comment on that last one."

"Jesus, how slow are you two taking this thing?" she asked.

"As slow as it needs to be. The last time I checked, there wasn't some kind of set timeline for relationships to progress at." Emma finally pulled her attention away from the hob to plate up breakfast for the two of them. But when she turned back to the table with a plate in each hand, Ruby had a soft smile on her lips. "What?"

"You like him," was all her friend said.

"Of course I do," Emma scoffed. "I wouldn't be dating him if I didn't."

"No, Ems. I mean you _like_ him. That's why you're not rushing into anything. And I think it's part of the reason why you're being so secretive about this relationship too. You _like_ him."

"Yeah… well, I haven't told him that yet," she pointed out. "So don't get too excited. I mean, I _think_ he likes me too. But I'm gonna wait for him to say something first."

"And what if he's waiting for you to say something before he does?" Ruby argued. "I mean, you said there was an age gap, right? So what if he's waiting for you to take the lead here, so that he can't be accused of controlling or manipulating you in some way? Are you both just never gonna tell the other how you really feel?"

"I'm sure one of us will crack eventually. I mean, when it gets to like six months or something then surely he should know how he feels about me, right?"

"And how long has it been now?" Ruby asked.

"A couple," Emma explained, with a slight shrug of her shoulders. As if it were no big deal.

But Ruby knew differently. Because for Emma, two months was an absolutely _huge_ deal. "I'm sure one of you will crack eventually," she chuckled. "My money's on him."

"You don't even know him," Emma countered.

"Nope. But I do know _you_."

* * *

Ruby was a little late getting back to the apartment that evening, after stopping to grab some coffee with Graham. So when she poked her head around the door to her friend's bedroom, she hadn't been expecting the sight that greeted her.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"I don't have anything to wear," Emma sighed dramatically, as she turned to face her friend.

Ruby squatted down to pick up one of the discarded shirts by her feet as she said, "Uh… I'm pretty sure you're proving right now that you do, Ems. What's _really_ going on here?"

"Jo… Killian's taking me to the theatre Saturday night after work. And I have _nothing_ to wear for it."

"Okay, firstly – the theatre. Wow. He really is a sugar daddy," she teased, before making her way through the mess of clothing strewn across her friend's bedroom floor, to push yet more off the bed and take a seat. "Secondly, I'm pretty sure that between the two of us, we can find something theatre appropriate that will also knock his socks off. Did you check my closet yet?"

"I dunno if you've noticed, but we're built a little differently," Emma told her, as she gestured down her own body.

"Yes, but we're both the same dress size," Ruby argued. "The only effect our build has is on how the garments look on us. So while some of my stuff might not suit you, it'll all fit you. And maybe it'll fit you in a way that flatters you better than it does me."

Emma dropped back onto her heels as she thought her friend's words over. She doubted that anything Ruby owned would look better on her than it did on the leggy brunette, but she was definitely running out of ideas now, and she was out of time too. With her classes the following day, she wouldn't have the chance to get anywhere near a shopping mall to look for something decent to wear.

"Actually… I think I have just the thing," Ruby declared, her eyes brightening with her excitement. "It's a little short on me, but I think it will be the perfect length for you. And it will _definitely_ have the effect you're looking for."

She danced out of the room before her friend could ask any more questions, leaving Emma to sit in curious silence until she returned.

"Here. It's been in the back of my closet for a while, so it'll probably need washing to freshen it up. I've never worn it before, so if you like it, you can keep it."

Emma took the hanger her friend was holding out to her and carefully examined the garment on it. The black dress hanging from it had a slightly ruffled neckline, and the same detailing around the sleeves. Lace embellishment in the design of an inverted T added a little wow factor to the otherwise plain dress. It took Emma a moment to realize that the dress would hit about mid-thigh on her, and she cringed a little as she did.

"I dunno, Ruby. This might flash a little too much flesh," she argued.

"And that's a bad thing?" her friend teased. "You can always wear it with some long boots. Just… try it on and see what you think before you rule it out completely."

"Okay," she agreed, sitting the hanger down on her bed. "But first, I need to clean my room."

"That's _all_ on you," Ruby chuckled. "I have an essay to write. Come and find me before you take it off, though."

* * *

When Saturday morning finally rolled around, Emma left for work with a slight spring in her step, as she thought about the night she had ahead of herself.

"Morning, Gloria," she called out, as she made her way through to the back office to stash her bag and coat, before grabbing a fresh apron from the cupboard.

"Good morning, Dear. How are you feeling today?" she asked. The older woman already had a fresh mug of coffee waiting for Emma when she finally emerged from the back room, and after handing it over she leaned in to press a kiss to her friend's cheek.

"Much better. Thank you so much for all of your advice last week. I uh… I really needed to hear that."

"It's okay, Dear," Gloria assured her. "When you get to be my age, you'll realize that you have a whole lifetime's worth of experience to share, and nobody willing to listen to it. I'm just glad that I was able to help you out a little."

"Well… I am always here to listen to whatever advice you have for me," Emma chuckled. "You pretty much saved our relationship. I can't thank you enough for that."

"So, I take it Dr. Jones will be back this afternoon?" she asked, as she began clearing away a table that had just been vacated by a middle-aged couple.

"Yeah. Did he not come in this week?" Emma knew how much Jones enjoyed getting out of his apartment and working around other people. She'd thought he would be back in throughout the week, now that the two of them had managed to sort things out between themselves.

"No, Dear. But I assume that he's probably taking things slowly. Or he's been busy with work. I remember him mentioning some kind of deadline when he was last here, but I can't remember if it was this week, or the one before."

"Shit," Emma mumbled. Because she had a nasty feeling that his deadline had been Friday morning. And he'd wasted almost an entire day with her on Wednesday, that he should have spent finishing off and editing the next chapter of his book.

She'd definitely have to confront him about that when he arrived. Because as much as she loved that he never made her feel bad about her need to study, she wanted him to know that she would never judge him for needing to blow her off to work either.

* * *

"Good afternoon, gorgeous ladies," Jones greeted, as he swept into the shop bang on time.

Emma giggled a little at the way Gloria blushed at his compliment. The older woman tried to cover it with her own greeting, but the way her voice wavered ever so slightly gave her away.

"Hey," Emma said, as she met him around the other side of the counter to brush a soft and sweet kiss to his lips, before pulling away to ask, "How was your morning?"

"It already pales in comparison to my afternoon," he assured her. "And I'm certain tonight will be even better. Are you looking forward to the show?"

"I am. But more than that, I'm looking forward to spending more time with you," she told him. "Oh… that reminds me. Was your second deadline yesterday morning?"

"Yes," Jones told her, as he began pulling out his laptop and setting it up next to the seat he always took when he was in the store.

"Why didn't you tell me? We could have postponed our date Wednesday afternoon until it had passed."

"Emma," he soothed softly. "I _wanted_ to spend that time with you. I work on my book most of the day, every day. Spending time with you is a much needed break in the monotony of my week."

Her heart lightened a little at the reassurance that she hadn't been a distraction to him during that time, but she hated that he was currently feeling so isolated and stuck in his ways. "Just… promise me that you'll cancel if you need to work?" she asked him. "I don't wanna be the person who keeps you from achieving your goals, any more than _you_ wanna be the one who distracts me from mine."

"I promise you, if I have a big deadline to meet and I need to work, I'll either cancel our dates or ask you to come over for another study session," he teased. "Don't worry too much about me, Emma. I've been in your position before. With finals coming up, I know how heavy your workload is going to be right now. It makes my own look light and easy. If you can find time for me during all of that, I can certainly find the time for you, Love."

"Thank you." She leaned down to press another kiss to his lips before heading back out to the kitchens to finish icing the cakes that she'd been working on, before he'd arrived.

* * *

Emma was making herself a drink for her lunchbreak, when the bell above the door to the shop rang once more, announcing the arrival of another customer. Jones had popped out a few minutes earlier to pick them both up something to eat, and she couldn't wait to get stuck into the burgers that he'd chosen for them.

But the instant her next customer spoke up, Emma knew that she wouldn't be getting to eat her lunch with her boyfriend.

"Hey Ems, how's it going?"

"Ruby?" she asked, turning away from the coffee machine with wide eyes, to find her best friend, Graham and Walsh stood on the other side of the counter. "Wha… uh… what are you guys doing here?"

"We figured we'd come and keep you company on your lunch break, after you skipped out on us Wednesday. You haven't had it yet, have you?"

Emma briefly considered the thought of lying to her friends, in the hopes that it would give her the chance to spend her break with Jones. But she couldn't bring herself to speak the words.

"No. I was just about to sit down for it," she told them instead. "Why don't you grab a table and I'll be over in a moment."

"Cool."

Ruby guided the others over to one of the larger tables in the small shop, on the opposite side of the room to the one Jones favored, and Emma breathed a small sigh of relief for that. The shop wasn't big, so it would be impossible for him to hide in it. She just hoped that her friend either wouldn't notice where their former lecturer was sat, or she wouldn't remember him.

When she'd finished making herself a drink, she turned to meet his eyes, offering Jones a small apology. He accepted it with a soft smile of his own, before he turned his attention back to his laptop, and whatever it was he was working on.

"Don't forget your lunch," Gloria added, as she handed over the takeaway container that held the burger Jones had built for her, at his favorite little stand a few streets over. "He doesn't want you to go without," the older woman whispered, for Emma's ears only.

"Thank you," she told her friend, hoping that Jones would hear it and realize the sentiment was just as much for him, as it was for her.

"Wow, that looks amazing," Graham drooled, as he watched her open the box to check over the order. It had all of her favorite toppings and was without any tomatoes, just as she liked her burgers.

Jones had managed to nail it once more.

"Where did ya get that?"

"Oh uh… Gloria picked it up for me on her break. You'll have to ask her," Emma fibbed.

Graham nodded, but she could tell that it was more of a nod that said he'd heard her, and less of one that suggested he'd actually be asking Gloria anything.

"So, Ems… are you gonna be joining us tonight? It's Belle's birthday," Walsh explained, like that would mean anything to her.

"I uh… I can't. I have a date tonight."

"Oh. With that guy you mentioned before? Because he could come with us," Walsh pressed.

"Yep," Ruby replied for her. "But Emma's sugar daddy's treating her to the finer things in life, and they're off to the theatre."

Emma's face flushed bright red at the exact moment that Jones began choking on the mouthful of water he'd been sipping on, when her friend had spoken.

God, she really wished he hadn't heard that.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **I wanted to send special thanks to Alexa, Jillian, Luna, Lexan, Buttonsbesweet and the other guests for all of their kind reviews.**


	33. Chapter 32

Emma was hoping that she'd have the chance to at least say goodbye to her boyfriend that afternoon, before he left the shop. But things were not meant to be. She knew that Jones had waited as long as he could before he was forced to leave, but Ruby and the guys had decided to keep their friend some company after Gloria had left, while they ate their way through almost an entire batch of muffins.

When they finally left the small store, it was with the message that Ruby would be spending the night at Graham's place, which meant that Emma wouldn't need to explain her own absence later that evening.

The door had only just swung shut behind them when she pulled out her phone to fire off a quick message to Jones, telling him that he could pick her up from her apartment later that evening, instead of their pre-arranged location.

* * *

She really shouldn't have been surprised to find his Mercedes parked outside of the shop when she locked up almost three hours later.

"The last time I checked, this was not my apartment," she chided, as she slipped into the passenger's seat of the car, before leaning in to brush a soft kiss to his lips.

"You know how I feel about you walking home alone," he told her, with a raised brow. He waited until she'd strapped herself in before finally pulling away from the curb. "How was the rest of your day?"

"It was good. I'm sorry we couldn't spend much of it together."

"Don't be," he chuckled, as he reached for her left hand to hold in his own, against his thigh. "I'm glad you got to spend some time with your friends. I'd hate to think that I'm keeping you from them."

"You're not," she promised him. "Our Wednesday afternoons together are a little bit of a shock to them, as I've been joining them for lunch every Wednesday for years. But they'll get used to it. I see them all every day of the week as it is, so it's not like they never see me now."

"Well… don't let me keep you from them," he told her, as he lifted her hand to his mouth to brush a sweet kiss to her knuckles. "I know how important they are to you."

It didn't take long for Jones to navigate the familiar streets, and he was soon pulling the car to a stop just outside of Emma's building. But as he did, something suddenly occurred to her.

"Do you um… do you maybe wanna stay here?" she asked. "This isn't exactly the best neighborhood, and I'd hate for you to come back and find the wheels missing, or the car gone completely."

"It's okay," Jones chuckled. "It's insured should anything go wrong. I don't mind coming up to wait, if you don't mind having me there?"

Emma shook her head to show that she didn't, before pulling on the handle to let herself out of the vehicle. Jones followed her lead, locking the doors behind them as he jogged the few steps needed to catch up to her, and follow her into the building. The climb up to Emma's floor was mostly done in silence, but it was the kind of silence that had her stomach twisting with anticipation.

She could already feel that familiar tension building between the two of them.

Jones waited patiently while Emma unlocked her front door, switched on the lights inside of her apartment, and then hung up her coat and bag. But the moment her hands were free again, he reached for the arm closest to him before tugging her into his embrace.

When their lips met once more it was with the passion that had been building inside of them both all day. Jones's kisses were firm and demanding, as he backed her into the wall behind them. Emma's gasp of shock gave him the perfect opportunity to suck gently on her bottom lip, before he slipped his tongue into her mouth to caress her own.

"We uh… I need to shower," she panted out, as she pulled away to draw in a much-needed breath. Being that close to him had always made her feel a little light-headed, but with the addition of his kisses, and the firm pressure of his hands on her hips, it had left her feeling positively dizzy.

"Yeah," he agreed, but instead of pulling back to let her go, he nosed aside the fabric of her shirt to place one last suckling kiss to her collarbone. "Go and get showered, Sweetheart."

Emma took a step to the side to try and clear her head a little, and as she did, she got her first good look at how her boyfriend was dressed for their evening together. He'd opted for a simple pair of dark jeans, a pale blue shirt, and a navy jacket over the top of it. But somehow, on him, the look came off as more classy and sophisticated than it ever had on Graham and Walsh.

"Seriously?" she asked. "How do you make _that_ look sinfully sexy?"

Jones shrugged his shoulders as he dropped his gaze down his own body. But when he lifted his eyes to meet hers, Emma could see the devious glint behind them. "I dunno," he told her. "It must be that whole sugar daddy effect I have going on."

Emma almost tripped over her own feet as she tried desperately to remember which door lead to her bedroom.

* * *

While his girlfriend was busy taking a shower and dressing for their date that evening, Killian dropped down carefully onto her sofa and began looking through the stack of textbooks that were piled up precariously on her coffee table. A few of them he recognized from his library at home, although they were all still in boxes waiting to be put into their places on the shelves in his office. But most of them were new to him.

So while Emma was dressing in something that he was pretty sure was going to have him losing his mind all evening, Killian kept himself busy reading through the small notes that she'd made in the margins of some of her books, chuckling a little at her colorful annotations as he did.

He was so caught up in Emma's commentary on the subject of equitable remedies in law, that it wasn't until he heard her clear her throat softly, that he realized she'd finished getting dressed, and was back in the room with him.

"Sorry," he chuckled, as he snapped the book closed and sat it back on her table. "The lawyer in me was… fuck me."

"Maybe later," Emma teased gently, as she watched him push himself back up to his full height. Even with the added few inches that Ruby's boots gave her, he was still a head taller than she was.

But his gaze seemed firmly fixed on her legs.

"Is this okay? I can uh… I can change if it's inappropriate."

"No! No, you look… you look incredible, Emma. Those boots…"

"They're Ruby's," she chuckled. "But if you like them, I can definitely consider investing in a pair."

"I'll buy them for you," he mumbled.

Killian's mouth seemed to be working before his brain had time to filter what he was thinking. It was probably because he was far too busy trying not to imagine what Emma would like wearing _only_ those thigh-high boots. Or how they would look wrapped around his hips, as he thrust into her the way he'd been dreaming of all week.

Emma's chuckle finally seemed to startle him enough to pull himself together, and he shook his head forcefully to clear it.

"Are you uh… are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Yep. I uh," Emma's eyes darted around the room as she considered how best to ask her question, before she finally blurted out, "Will I need an overnight bag?"

"God yes," he whispered to himself, before adding, "I mean… yeah. If you still feel comfortable spending the night at mine?"

"I packed one this morning."

"Okay. If you um… if you wanna grab that then we can head out. The show starts at eight."

"Okay," Emma agreed, as she rocked forward on her toes to brush a soft kiss to his lips. It felt like a kiss that was sealing the promise of what was to come later that evening.

* * *

The drive over to the theatre was one of the most awkward of Killian's life. He tried to keep both of his hands firmly on the wheel, so that he wouldn't be tempted to turn around and just head straight back to his apartment. But every time he turned his head to the right to check for traffic, he'd get a glimpse of those boots once more, and his mind would start to drift again.

When he finally pulled into one of the parking spaces he'd reserved for the night and killed the engine, the atmosphere in the car shifted once more.

That tension between the two of them was becoming undeniable, and it was getting harder and harder to fight.

"We um… we should go inside," he told her, even as his hand reached out for hers, across the center console.

"Yeah, we should," Emma agreed, swaying into his space.

It didn't take much for him to lean in and close the distance between the two of them. Emma's body practically melted into his own as she brought a hand up to run through his hair, while he wrapped his own around her waist to pull her in closer.

Thankfully, his desire to give Emma one of the experiences she'd missed out on so far in life, won out over his desire to keep her to himself. Killian slowed their kiss to soft pecks of the lips, before he finally pulled away to smile down at her.

"Are you ready to go, Beautiful?"

"Yeah," she breathed, before finally stepping out of the vehicle.

Killian slipped from his own seat and out into the cool New York evening. After locking the car with a click of a button, he pushed his keys into his pocket and then jogged around to where Emma was patiently waiting for him.

"Are you cold?" he worried. It wasn't freezing outside just yet, but he could tell that the temperature would probably have dropped drastically by the time they left the theatre. And Emma hadn't brought a coat with her, after deeming her options too unsuitable to match her dress.

"I'm fine," she assured him.

It didn't stop him from wrapping a strong arm around her shoulders to tuck her into his side, as he guided them out of the parking lot and towards the entrance of the theatre. When they were finally inside the warmth of the building, he let go of her in favor of lacing their fingers together, as they headed for the small bar at the back of the space.

"Would you like a drink while we wait?" he asked, pulling his wallet from his pocket.

"Sure. I'll have whatever you're having."

Killian opted for a small glass of wine for each of them, before he guided Emma over to one of the tables in the corner of the room, where they could sit and wait to be called to their seats.

"This is nice," Emma mused, as she took a sip from her glass while Jones situated himself in the booth next to her. His long arm was stretched out behind her in a way that made it perfectly clear to anyone who was looking, that she was withhim. Because he'd already noticed her drawing a few stares from some of the guys in the bar.

"Being out with you in public, I mean," she clarified. "Not the wine. Although, this _is_ good wine."

"Well, you know, while our age difference might scandalize some people, we're actually doing nothing wrong. So we could go out together in public more often, if you'd like?"

"I think we just might have to do that, Jones."

Killian chuckled a little as he leaned in to brush a kiss to her hair, but instead of pulling away he allowed himself to linger a little longer, resting his cheek on top of her head. Now that he had her back in his arms once more, he didn't want to let her go.

It wasn't much longer until the lights in the bar began to flash, signaling that people should start making their way to their seats. Emma finished what was left of her drink, before slipping her hand into Jones's to follow him to the ones that he'd booked for them.

"Where are we going?" she asked, when she realized that he wasn't following the crowd who were headed to the main part of the theatre.

"Wait and see," Jones chuckled, as he brought her hand up to his lips to brush another kiss against her knuckles.

After turning down another few corridors in the building, and climbing up a few staircases, Jones was soon pulling something from inside his jacket pocket, to hand over to the attendant at the doorway.

The guy gave a sharp nod of his head before handing the paper back, and then pulled aside the velvet curtain that had kept the room inside hidden.

Emma felt her breath leave her in a gasp when she saw what that curtain had been hiding. "What's this?"

"Our seats for the night," Jones chuckled.

"Did you seriously rent out an entire private box for our date?" Emma wasn't sure why she was surprised. It was exactly the kind of thing that her boyfriend would do, to make their evening together special.

"No. I uh… I have a small confession to make," he told her, as he gestured to the seats just in front of the small balcony. "I didn't _actually_ pay anything for this. I have a friend who donated to the renovations here a while back, and as a thanks for that, the theatre offered him this box. It's reserved for his family for every performance they show, but he moved away from the city a few years back and rarely uses it now. When I mentioned that I was coming here tonight with you, he said we should put his box to some use while we were in the city."

"Are you telling me that we can come back anytime we want?"

"Yes," he chuckled. "As often as you want, whenever you want. You could even bring your friends, if you wanted to?"

"Wow. You really are the best boyfriend I've ever had."

Jones chuckled heartily as he removed his jacket to slip around her shoulders, before he took his own seat next to Emma, pulling the chair a little closer to hers as he did.

"What kind of sugar daddy would I be without offering unlimited theatre trips?"

"Am I ever gonna live that down?" she asked, burying her face into his chest as it flamed bright red at his words.

Jones leaned down to rub his nose softly along the line of her neck, before pressing a kiss to the spot just behind her ear that always made her shiver. "Nope," he whispered, as he wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. "You look so adorable when you're embarrassed, there's no way I'm dropping this one any time soon."

* * *

 **Emma's look here is based on Jen's look for a SiriusXM interview on April 17th 2018.**

 **Killian's look is based on Colin's for a TV Guide photoshoot at SDCC in 2014.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	34. Chapter 33

**Sorry for the delay with this update. Our entire family came down with a sickness bug last week.**

 **I just hope it's worth waiting for.**

* * *

"So, what did you think of the show?" Emma asked, as they made their way out of the private box and back through the corridors once more.

"It was good. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would."

"That's interesting," she teased. "Because every time I looked at you, you were watching me, and not the actors on stage. So how much of the show did you _actually_ see?"

Jones chuckled a little as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, and propped his chin on top of her head. "I saw enough. And for what it's worth, watching _you_ watch the show was highly enjoyable for me."

Emma stopped moving for a moment and tilted her head back to press a kiss to his jaw. When she pulled back Jones slid his hands down her sides to tangle their fingers together, before they began moving again.

"Do you wanna go and get something to eat before we head home? Or would you rather order in?" he asked, as the lobby finally came into view. It was already crowded with people who were making their escape from the building, as they discussed their own dinner plans.

Emma waited until they had some space, and weren't in the way of anyone else trying to get past them, before she turned to loop her arms around her boyfriend's neck. "I don't think I'm hungry for food right now," she drawled.

"Really?" he asked, settling his hands on her hips, as he allowed his fingers to drift just a little lower than was usually socially acceptable. "So how _do_ you wanna spend the rest of our night, Love?"

"I think you already know the answer to that one, Jones."

Killian took a quick look around himself to assess their location, before he reached out for Emma's arm. He gently steered her over to a slightly darkened corner of the lobby, where he knew they wouldn't be in anyone's way, before he dropped his lips down to cover hers.

Emma couldn't help the way her body arched into his as she reached up to wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him in a little closer, while her fingers tangled through his hair. She wished that they were already back at Jones's apartment, so they could finally take that next step in their relationship. But until then, his demanding lips and teasing tongue were enough to keep the fire inside of her tamed.

"Are you um…"

"God yes," Emma replied, before he could finish speaking, which elicited a small chuckle from her boyfriend. He leaned in to brush a kiss to the tip of her nose, before lacing their fingers together to guide her out of the building, and back towards his car.

Killian was grateful that the walk was a relatively short one, as the temperature had dropped like he'd expected. He could feel Emma shiver a little as the wind hit her bare skin, so he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to tuck her in close. But when they finally reached his car he couldn't help but pull her in for yet another kiss, before he let her climb inside. While neither of them had explicitly stated what would happen when they got back to his apartment, they both knew where the night was heading. And neither one of them seemed to be able to keep their hands off the other.

As he pulled out of the parking lot Killian reached for Emma's hand to hold in his own, against his thigh, while he navigated the busy streets that evening. Logically, he knew that the drive home was an easy one, and even with the traffic from the theatre he could make it in under thirty minutes. But with every mile that passed, Killian became more and more frustrated with how long it was taking.

It was only when he finally pulled the car into his space that he realized just how fast his heart was racing. It felt overly loud in the silence of the vehicle, and he found himself taking a few deep breaths just to try and slow it down. Killian couldn't remember _ever_ being this nervous about spending the night with a woman before.

He felt like a teenager about to lose his virginity.

But as he turned his head to look at the woman by his side, all of his nerves seemed to melt away. "Are you okay?" he asked, as he killed the engine and unbuckled his seat belt.

"Yeah."

Even with her confident assurance, Killian still took a moment to study his girlfriend's features, while his mind was somewhat clear. If there was even a trace of doubt in her eyes, he would have started the engine once more and taken her back to her apartment for the night.

But Killian couldn't find any doubts in the steady gaze staring back at him.

He didn't need to say anything else. When his eyes met hers a smile curved at the corner of her lips, and he leaned forward to brush a sweet and gentle kiss to them, before he turned away to tug on the handle to his door. Emma follow his lead, pulling his jacket a little tighter around her shoulders as a cool breeze blew through the parking garage, before she slipped her hand into his for the walk to the elevator.

Killian wasn't sure if he should be grateful that there were others already waiting for it, or annoyed that they wouldn't be alone. He was pretty certain that if the small car had been empty for the ride up to his floor, he wouldn't have been able to keep his hands to himself. And the last thing he wanted was for them to start something in a place they could be caught.

When he and Emma stepped inside they flashed small smiles to the elderly woman and her husband stood just in front of them, before Killian wrapped his arms around her shoulders to pull her into his chest. Emma tilted her head back to press a few soft kisses to his jawline, as her hands came up to hold his in place, while she melted into his embrace.

"Are you warm enough?" Jones whispered, brushing his own kiss to her hair, just above her ear.

Emma nodded her head against his but didn't say anything. Even with other people in the small carriage with them, the moment felt too intimate to shatter with words.

When the elevator finally stopped on Killian's floor he politely excused them both, offering the older couple a parting smile as he did. His hand settled low on Emma's back to guide her out and down the corridor towards his apartment, like he'd done all those months before on their first date.

Killian was a little surprised by how steady his hand was as he fished out his keys to unlock the front door, and it took him a moment to realize that it was because of how sure he was about their night. And how sure he was about his relationship with Emma. If the silent tension building between the two of them all week had taught him anything, it was that he'd found the perfect person for him.

But the moment they both stepped into his hallway, and he had the door locked safely behind them, the entire atmosphere in the room shifted drastically. That loving tenderness they'd shown each other all night was still there, but it was now backed by those flames of passion and frustration that had been growing between them for months.

And they were both desperate to finally work out that frustration.

Killian brought his hands up to push his jacket off Emma's shoulders as he backed her into the wall behind her, before finally claim her lips once more. His kisses were demanding and urgent, a complete contrast to how they had been in the theatre, as his need for her became the only thing on his mind in that moment.

Emma responded in kind, arching her back away from the wall to get closer to him as she brought her hands up to settle on his broad shoulders. She left them there for a moment, and Killian broke away from her lips to begin trailing soft kisses down the side of her neck. But when he sucked a little just above the place where her pulse was jumping wildly, she couldn't control her hunger for him any longer.

Her hands dropped down to the buttons on the front of his shirt, opening them with surprising efficiency as Killian turned his head to claim her lips again. When she finally had the fabric open and out of his pants, Emma ran her hands softly over the newly exposed skin, taking her time to explore the part of her boyfriend that she'd never seen before.

"Jesus," he groaned, pulling away to rest his forehead against hers. She'd barely even touched him, and he was already painfully hard for her. If he didn't find a way to calm down soon, their night was going to end embarrassingly quickly.

"I like this," Emma mumbled, as she brushed her fingers over the hair covering his chest. "I've never been with a guy who's had this much before." Her hands slowly made their way up his chest, her nails scratching lightly against his skin, as she glided them up to his shoulders, to begin pushing his shirt down and off his arms.

Killian removed his hands from where they had been wrapped around her back just long enough for the garment to fall to the floor behind him. But that added few of inches of space between them gave him the chance to get a good look at Emma for the first time since they'd entered his home.

And that was probably his biggest mistake.

Her eyes were dark with her lust, and firmly fixed on the bare skin of his chest. She had her lower lip clamped between her teeth, and her cheeks were flushed bright red from her arousal.

He'd never wanted anyone more than he wanted her in that moment.

Killian wasn't sure which one of them reached out first, but the couple came together once more with another explosion of passion and urgency. As Emma arched away from the wall behind her he dropped his hands down to her thighs, to pull her up and into his arms. He was suddenly desperate to have his girlfriend moving under him in his bed.

Or over him.

Killian really wasn't fussed.

Emma wrapped her legs around his waist as tightly as she could, moaning wantonly when she felt him brush against her where she knew she was already wet for him. "Killian," she whined, desperate for some kind of relief.

He'd never been more grateful that he lived in an apartment than he was that evening. It took him less than a minute to navigate his way around the furniture in his lounge, and down the short corridor that lead towards the master bedroom. The moment Killian stepped inside of the room he reached for the switch on the wall, flicking it on to bathe the space in a warm glow, as he dropped Emma down to her feet just in front of his bed. He wanted to be able to see every inch of her that night, and watch her bask in every ounce of pleasure that he could wring from her body.

As her feet hit the ground, Killian slid his hands up her back to find the zip on her dress, while her own came down to fumble with the belt he was wearing. Their kisses had become sloppier with their movements and desperation, but neither one of them really cared.

They just needed that connection to each other.

When he finally had the zipper completely down, Killian forced himself to soften the press of his lips against hers. He took a moment just to enjoy the softness of their exchanges, a complete contrast to the fury with which they'd been moving all night, before he pressed a parting peck to her lips.

As he took a step back to put some distance between the two of them, Emma let the dress she was wearing slide down her arms and off her body, to pool around her feet.

"Wow," he whispered, because Killian was pretty sure that his brain had short-circuited, and it was all he could think to say. His girlfriend was stood confidently in front of him wearing a pair of thigh-high black boots, and a matching black lace bra and panty set. It was like one of his wet dreams come to life, and he couldn't quite believe that he was the lucky guy getting to see her that way.

"Wow yourself," she chuckled. "You've been hiding a lot under those grandpa sweaters, Jones."

He chuckled as he stepped back in closer to settle his hands on the soft, naked skin just above the band of black lace around her hips. "You're beautiful, Emma. Absolutely stunning. Inside and out."

"So are you, Killian."

She reached out to run her hands gently up his chest, before curling her arms around his neck to pull his lips down to hers once more. The soft caress of their kiss was something _more_ than any of their others had ever been. It was the whisper of words unspoken between them, and the promise of a future that they'd both been dreaming of.

Killian slowly walked his girlfriend back until her legs hit the bed behind her. Without breaking their sweet kisses, he gently tightened his arms around her waist to lift her up and onto it, before pulling himself up and over her. As his fingers glided down Emma's left side, tracing light patterns into the bare skin he could find there, she reached down to unzip one of the boots she was wearing, before tossing it off the end of the bed.

"You could have left them on," he teased against her lips, before turning his head to begin pressing soft kisses across her collarbone.

"I could have," she agreed. "But then I don't think Ruby would ever want them back."

Killian chuckled against her chest as she reached down to unzip the second, and tossed that onto the floor by its mate. He carried on pressing his kisses into the bare skin of her chest, nosing at the fabric covering her breasts, before he sucked a little harder on each of her nipples.

"God, yes," Emma sighed.

She was certain that nobody she'd ever been with had taken that much time to make her feel so adored before. Normally, the moment her clothes were off the guy was all about getting in and out as quickly as he could. But Killian seemed to be happy taking his time, as he pressed his lips to the skin of her tummy. And her mind helpfully chose that moment to replay his words to her from earlier that week.

" _We also prefer taking our time with foreplay."_

"Oh," Emma gasped, as she realized just how true that statement was.

She was so lost in her own mind that the first firm press of his lips to the place she ached for him most came as a surprise, and her hips bucked away from the bed at the contact.

"Wha… what are you doing?" she panted out.

"What does it look like?" Killian's eyes flicked up to meet hers, before he dipped his head once more to press another kiss over the lace that was covering her.

"You uh… you don't have to do that."

He stopped what he was doing for a moment to push himself up onto his forearms, so that he could hold Emma's gaze, as a realization suddenly washed over him. "Nobody's ever done this for you before, have they?"

Emma simply shook her head no, as she bit down on her bottom lip.

"Oh, Sweetheart," he sighed, bending forward to place a kiss just above her bellybutton. "You have no idea what you've been missing out on. And neither do they." He finally broke her gaze to turn his attention back down to the black lace still sitting over her hips, as he gently pulled the panties down her body, and off her legs. "Trust me when I say that there is _nothing_ more arousing that seeing the woman you're with, lost in the kind of pleasure that only _you_ can give to her."

Emma dropped her head back to the bed as she felt his stubble scratch along her inner thigh, before another kiss was pressed just over her clitoris. The long slow lick from bottom to top caught her a little off-guard, in the best possible way, and she turned her head into the pillow behind her to moan her appreciation.

"Let me hear you," Killian mumbled, between rapid flicks of his tongue.

"God… so good," she gasped out, reaching down to run her fingers through his hair.

As Killian alternated quick flicks of his tongue with long, broad strokes, Emma found herself wondering why she'd never asked for this before. The pressure felt entirely different to the way she'd explored herself in the past, and intense in a way that penetration alone could never quite manage to deliver.

"Oh, oh there," she whimpered, when his talented tongue found a particularly sensitive spot.

She couldn't bring herself to look down and watch what he was doing to her. Emma knew that there was absolutely no way she'd be able to handle the sight of that. But she could still feel the smirk that curled at the corner of his lips, at the sound of her words.

When his mouth eventually closed over her to suck hard on her clit, Emma's hips flew off the bed with her surprise, as she released a high-pitched wail that had Killian grinding himself into the end of his bed. He wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her to his mouth, while her hand tightened in his hair.

As she felt that wave of pressure start to build inside of her, Emma began rutting against his face, shamelessly searching for that little something _more_ she needed, to help her release all of that tension.

Her boyfriend seemed to know exactly what it was that she wanted, as he gently scraped his teeth over her flesh, before sucking _hard_.

"Oh… Killian," she wailed, when he finally pushed her over that ledge and into oblivion.

While his girlfriend drifted in that wonderful place that always came from a phenomenal orgasm, Killian took a moment to remove his shoes and socks before he pulled himself back up the bed, pressing soft kisses all over her body as he went. When he was finally face-to-face with her once more, he leaned down to rub his nose softly against hers as she came back down to earth, before dropping his lips to cover her own.

Emma returned his kisses with just as much passionate as he gave, sucking softly on his bottom lip before she bit down gently on it. Her hands slid down his body, tracing the lines of muscle in his back, before she slipped them further down to begin pushing off the jeans he was still wearing.

Killian didn't want to pull away long enough to take them off. He was so addicted to the feel of her hands on his body, the taste of her skin against his tongue, and the soft little noises that she made, as her arousal built once more. But he was also _aching_ for her. And he knew the best way to relieve that ache would require him to be naked. So he pulled back a little to help her push them down his legs, before finally kicking them off the end of the bed.

"You wear _far_ too many clothes," Emma complained.

"I'll take that under advisement for next time."

Killian held her gaze for a moment, stroking his thumb softly along her jaw as they both chuckled at his words. When he dipped his head to capture her lips again, Emma slipped her hands into the back of his boxers, to push those down and over his spectacular ass.

Even with her boyfriend fully naked between her legs, her gaze never left Killian's face. She brought her hands back up to wrap one around his shoulders, as the other ran softly through his hair.

"You're so beautiful," Killian told her again, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. Because her really needed her to believe that. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, both inside and out.

"So are you," she replied once more, smiling softly up at him.

His lips brushed lightly over her nose before they found her own again. Neither of them seemed in a rush to speed things up, as they traded lazy kisses and loving caresses. So it was only when Emma's hips began to gently roll against his own, that Killian pulled back to reach for his bedside table.

"I'm covered," she told him, realizing what it was he was doing. "Clean and covered. So, if you trust me…"

"I do," he cut her off. Because it was the complete truth. There was nobody in his life that he trusted more than the beautiful woman underneath him, staring up with such earnestness behind her eyes. "As long as you're sure?"

"I am." Emma knew that her boyfriend would need to hear those words from her before he would act, so she didn't hesitate to give them to him, as she pulled his head back down to hers. She wanted everything about this moment to be as easy and natural as the rest of their relationship had been.

When Killian finally reached down between them to line himself up, Emma was desperate and aching for him to be inside of her. He held her gaze as he made that first push, biting down on his bottom lip to stop all of the filthy words currently filling his mind from spilling out.

There was a time and place for those, and this was not it.

"Are you okay?" he asked, as she let a strangled gasp fall from her lips.

"Yeah. Just… go slow."

Killian nodded his head and then ducked back down to capture her lips with his. While his tongue stroked softly over her own, he rocked his hips gently, sinking in a little deeper with every move he made, until Emma's gasps turned to moans of pleasure, and urges for more.

"Faster," she begged, as he broke away to trail his lips down over the side of her neck. "Please."

Killian pulled back a little to get a good look at Emma's face as he did as she asked. He wanted to see every moment of pleasure wash over her features, as he learned her body intimately. His mind catalogued the way she bit down on her lower lip, and how her eyes fluttered as his hips snapped against hers a little harder. He filed away the knowledge of the gasps she would make as his pubic bone rubbed against her _just right_ , and the way that she would arch her back to thrust her chest up to rub against his own.

"Oh. So good," she moaned, tightening her grip on him as her nails dug into his back.

"Can you come for me like this, Love?"

Emma nodded her head as another wave of pleasure crashed down over her, leaving her a writhing, panting mess.

She was close.

 _So very close._

When Killian leaned down to suck on her left nipple through the black lace of her bra, Emma's hips flew up to meet his as she pressed her head back into the pillows behind her. All of the pressure that had been building inside of her finally exploded in a wonderful array of colours, clouding her mind and dragging her down under its effects, as it left her feeling breathless.

"Killian," she gasped, as she tightened around him.

"Oh… Emma," he groaned back, as he buried his face in her neck.

Her climax had triggered his own, releasing those butterflies in his tummy that felt like they'd hatched the moment she'd walked into his life. His legs wobbled a little with the force of his orgasm, and Killian just had enough awareness left within him to pull out and roll over, before he could crush his girlfriend under his weight.

It took him a moment to come back to himself, and when he turned his head to look at Emma, she was still panting hard beside him.

"Holy shit," he chuckled breathlessly, as he pulled his girlfriend into his arms to hold her against his chest. "That was definitely worth waiting for."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	35. Chapter 34

Waking up with Jones's arms wrapped around her waist was rapidly becoming one of Emma's favorite things in life. She stretched a little to work out some of the kinks in her muscles, and then cringed when she felt the pull of dried fluids on her stomach and thighs begin to flake away with the action.

Emma had never had sex without using a condom before, so she hadn't realized just how messy it could be, when she'd made the suggestion in the heat of the moment.

"Are you okay?" Jones mumbled into her hair, before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Sticky," she chuckled. "But otherwise perfect."

"Yes you are," he assured her, as he dropped another kiss into her hair. "Do you wanna take a shower and clean up a little?"

Emma tilted her head up to meet her boyfriend's eyes, before she leaned in to press a kiss to his lips. Even with everything they'd already shared that evening, she couldn't seem to get enough of him.

"Only if you'll join me."

Jones chuckled heartily as he leaned in to rub his nose tenderly against her own, before pecking softly at her lips. "If you think I'm ready to let you go, you're sorely mistaken," he told her.

Emma sat up to allow him to move, and watched as her boyfriend slid out of bed, completely naked, before he turned back to face her. "Are you coming?" he asked, when she didn't immediately move to follow him.

"God I hope so," she whispered quietly, before slipping her hand into his, to allow him to guide her through to the master bathroom.

When he flicked the lights on to illuminate the space, her eyes widened a little in surprise. The room was all dark marble and bright white fittings, much like his kitchen had been. But with the warm glow of the lights, it seemed more comforting than she had been expecting.

"Wow. Your bathroom's bigger than my apartment," she noted, as her free hand ran reverently along the lip of the large bathtub in the center of the space. As she stared down at the piece memories of her past began to wash over her, and for a moment, she lost herself in them.

"Emma?"

"Sorry." She shook her head gently to try and clear it a little, before looking up to meet her boyfriend's worried eyes.

"Where d'ya go?"

"It's not…" she protested, before cutting herself off. Jones had told her only hours before that he trusted her completely. It was only fair that she should offer up a similar gesture to him, when he was so obviously worried about her.

"I um… I was just thinking… I don't remember having ever taken a bath before. Which is stupid, right? I mean, I must have had one at some point in my life. I just don't have any memories of it. The group homes and the dorms all had showers, because you could fit more stalls into the space, and it was more economical. The few foster homes I had provided the bare minimum, so I never had the luxury of taking a bath there either. I just… I guess I've never really thought about it until now."

Jones leaned in a little closer and Emma's eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of the kiss that she was sure he'd give her. But when it didn't come, she opened her eyes just in time to watch him twist the tap set into the wall over the bathtub.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I think it's about time you had a memory of taking a bath, don't you?"

"You really don't need to do that," Emma protested. "It was just a silly memory. I didn't share it to guilt you into this. I just… I wanted to share more of myself with you."

Jones took a step closer to her to settle his hands on her hips. "How many times do I need to tell you that I do things because I _want_ to, and not because I feel like I _need_ to, before you'll start believing me?"

"At least a few more," she chuckled, as she stretched up to wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm uh… I'm not used to being around people who not only _want_ to do things for me, but also have the means to follow through on those desires."

This time, Jones's kiss came just as she expected it to, and Emma found herself swaying further into his embrace, with the sweetness he poured into every press of his lips against hers. She'd never felt as wanted and treasured as Jones was making her feel that evening, and she swore to herself that she would savor every moment of it.

"Then I'll be sure to remind you as often as you need me to," he told her, as he pulled away to rest his forehead against hers.

The atmosphere in bathroom felt heavy in that moment. Emma might have been slightly inexperienced when it came to matters of the heart, but even she could sense what was happening between the two of them. Or, more accurately, what wasn't being said.

"Where um… where's the toilet?" she asked, in an attempt to try and lighten the mood once more. Because she absolutely would not be the first person to put those words out into the world. She wasn't going to risk ruining what they had, by jumping the gun.

Jones's face fell slightly at her change of topic, but he covered it quickly by telling her, "It's behind you. Do you want me to leave the room?"

Emma turned to see the small space that she hadn't noticed before, hidden by a partial wall, and then back to face her boyfriend. She'd never used a restroom with someone else in the same space before, but somehow, Jones's question felt more like it was a test of their relationship, than it was about offering her privacy. So Emma shook her head firmly as she told him, "Nope. I'll be back in a moment."

It didn't take her long to use the facilities and wash up a little, but as she did, Emma took the time to take in her appearance, reflected back at her in the mirror hanging over the twin sinks. Her hair was in complete chaos, thanks to the way she'd thrashed her head around earlier that evening. And while she'd been sleeping only minutes before, her eyes were bright and alert with her happiness. The Emma reflected back at her was very similar to the one she'd seen earlier that week, when she and Jones had shared a moment together on his sofa. And it was one that she hoped she'd get to see more often, as their relationship progressed.

When she made her way back around the small wall, she found her boyfriend sat inside of the tub, as it slowly filled with warm water and bubbles. He had a stack of plush looking towels sat on the counter next to him, and an odd expression on his face. Emma couldn't help the snort of laughter that left her lips, at the sight he presented.

When Jones cocked a brow in question, she made her way over to him explaining, "I'm sorry. You just… you look a little out of place there, Dr. Jones."

"I feel it," he chuckled. "This bath is definitely missing something… I wonder what that could be?"

Emma giggled once more at the salacious look crawling over his face, as his left hand inched up her back, to open the closure on her bra. When he had it undone, she slid the last remaining garment down her arms and let it drop to the floor, before taking the hand he was offering, to help her climb into the tub and settle between his legs.

The water was just the right side of being too hot, making her body tingle a little as the warmth of it covered her skin and sunk deep into her bones. Jones urged her back to lay against his chest, his own body heat helping to keep her warm, as he turned off the taps still pouring water into the tub, and then wrapped his arms around her chest.

"Okay… now I get why they love this so much in the movies."

Killian hummed his agreement into her hair, as he brushed a gentle kiss there. He gave Emma a few minutes to fully appreciate the calming heat coming from the water, before he reached for a wash cloth and began to gently run it over her skin, cleaning away the stickiness that had caused her discomfort earlier that evening.

"Why are you so good to me?" she asked quietly. So quietly that he almost wasn't sure he was meant to hear it.

Killian paused his movements for a moment to look down at his girlfriend. Her eyes were still closed, but she had the most beautiful smile on her lips. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen her look that carefree before.

"Because you deserve to be loved," he whispered back, just as quietly. "I'm sorry it's taken so long for someone to show you that."

The room was silent for a moment as they both took their time to consider the words that he'd spoken, before Emma twisted in his arms, splashing water all over the floor, as she pushed herself up onto her knees to meet his eyes.

"Do you?" she asked. Her boyfriend was a little confused by the question, until she elaborated, "Do you love me, Killian?"

"Are you gonna run if I say yes?" he worried.

Emma said nothing as she continued to stare into his eyes. She didn't really need his words. She could see his answer shining back at her behind his gaze, as he waited patiently for her to make the next move.

"Promise me something?" she asked, as she brought one hand up to rest against his chest, while the other ran softly through the hair at the back of his head.

"Anything," he whispered, as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist.

"Don't break my heart."

Killian's eyes softened completely at her words, as he surged forward to bring them even closer together. "Never," he promised, before closing the distance between the two of them to seal his lips over hers.

What he had intended to be a soft kiss, filled with his feelings for her, was anything but. After getting that first taste of Emma Swan, Killian just couldn't seem to get enough, and he soon found himself hard and aching to be inside of her once more, as she ground herself down into his lap.

"Emma," he moaned, his tone full of want and caution. He knew that it had been a while since she'd been with anyone that way, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her just to fulfil his own selfish desires.

"Yes," she whispered back, as she brushed her lips over his nose and cheek bones. "Yes, Killian."

He wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her steady, as Emma settled her legs over his thighs, bringing them even closer together. When she reached down to hold him steady, he pulled back to rest his forehead against hers, as she slowly sank down over him.

"Jesus Christ," he breathed out, screwing his eyes shut. The heat from the water, and the angle she was sat at, made her feel impossibly hotter and tighter. He wasn't going to last long with the way she felt wrapped around him.

Emma pressed her lips to the side of his neck over and over again, as she allowed herself a moment to adjust to his size. At first, her movements were slow and gentle, the soft rocking of her hips as she pushed herself up and down in his lap. But when Killian finally had a handle on his own urges, he dropped his hands down to cup her ass, helping to guide her actions so that they could find a rhythm that worked perfectly for them both.

The sound of his harsh pants against her neck, interspersed with whispered words of her name, was quite possibly the best thing Emma had ever heard. "Killian," she gasped out, because there was so much she wanted to tell him in that moment, but the words just wouldn't come to her.

He eased himself back to rest against the wall of the tub, bringing his legs up a little to give himself some form of leverage against the slippery floor, as he watched her move over him. She looked like a goddess rising from the ocean, and he never wanted to stop worshipping her.

The change in position had Emma writhing in his lap, as his hips thrust up into her, hitting that spot that never failed to make her tighten around him.

"Oh God, Killian… yes," she gasped out.

"You're so beautiful," he told her, as he slid one hand up her back and into her damp hair. "So tight around me. God, you're perfect, Emma. So perfect for me."

Her eyes fluttered closed at his words, and he leaned in to press kisses down the centre of her throat, and over her cleavage. Emma's movements became more erratic as her orgasm began to build. Killian did his best to keep up the momentum, even as he felt that curl of pleasure start to unfurl inside of his stomach.

"I need you to come, Emma," he whispered harshly. "I can't hold off much longer."

"Close," she assured him, her head falling back as another ripple of pleasure stole over her body. "So close."

He slid his hand down and around to where they were joined, taking a moment just to enjoy the feel of himself sliding in and out of her body, before his fingers danced up a little higher.

The feel of him rubbing tight circles around that little bundle of nerves had Emma's breath coming harder and faster, as the pressure building inside of her reached its apex, before finally spilling over and out, taking all of her strength with it.

Killian managed to hold off his own orgasm just long enough to tuck his exhausted girlfriend safely into his arms, before he allowed it to take over, temporarily stealing his vision with its intensity.

When he came back down to himself, the first thing he became aware of was the gently tugging at his chest hair. He tilted his head down to watch as Emma twisted it around her fingers in nonsensical patterns, while she pressed soft kisses to the skin beneath it.

"Are you okay?" he asked, as he dropped his own kiss to her forehead.

"Hmmm."

"Good hmmm, or bad hmmm?"

"Good," she whispered back, as she pressed a kiss to the place her hand had been only seconds before. " _Really good_."

Killian chuckled a little at the drunken slur her words had taken on, as he softly pushed her hair back and away from her face. For a moment, the two of them simply clung to each other in silence, basking in the afterglow that always came from wonderful sex, with someone you truly cared about.

But the sweet moment was broken when Emma's tummy growled loudly. Killian laughed heartily at the sound, as his girlfriend buried her head into his neck, to cover her embarrassment.

"Are you hungry, Darling?"

"Well… you have helped me burn plenty of calories this evening," she mumbled back.

"Come on. Let's get you dried off and back into bed, and then I'll order us some pizza."

"Pizza in bed?" Emma lifted her head to meet his eyes, and Killian could see the humor dancing behind them. "You really are the perfect sugar daddy."

It took him a moment to get his feet under himself given the limited space in the tub, and the slippery floor, but when he did, he pushed himself up to his feet with his girlfriend still clinging tightly to his neck.

"Killian," she squealed, wrapping her legs around his waist, so that she wouldn't slip out of his grasp.

When he had her set back down firmly on her feet, he shook out one of the largest towels he owned to wrap around her, before reaching for his own. It had been so long since he'd felt comfortable enough to be naked around someone else, that for a moment, all he could do was stand and watch as Emma methodically dried herself off.

"What?" she asked, when she caught him staring her way.

"Nothing, I just... I'm glad you're here with me tonight, Emma."

She wrapped the large towel around her body, tucking the end into the top of the make-shift dress she'd made for herself, before she moved over to stand in front of him.

"I'm glad I'm here too," she said, as she stretched up on her toes to begin gently running the towel over his body, drying away the trails of water that were still dripping down his naked form. "We should do this more often, if you feel up to it?"

"I'd gladly have you here with me every weekend," he assured her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he dipped his head to let her dry off his hair.

Emma smiled softly up at him while she finished towelling off every inch of his skin, before she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. When she pulled back something suddenly occurred to her, and she looked around herself in confusion.

"What's up?"

"I um… I just realized that we might have left my stuff in the car. You uh, you don't happen to have any lotion here, do you?"

Jones raised a brow that told Emma just how ridiculous her question was, and she chuckled at the sight of it.

"Yeah, I didn't think so."

He leaned in to brush a sweet kiss to her forehead, before pulling back and taking a step away from her. "I'll run down and get it for you now. Why don't you order food for us while I'm gone?"

"Is there anything you won't eat?" she asked, as she grabbed another towel from the side, and bent down to begin mopping up some of the water that had spilled over the sides of the bathtub.

"Nothing I've found yet," he told her. "Leave that. It can wait."

"It's okay, I'm nearly done now." Emma pushed herself back to her feet to press a firm kiss to his lips, before she unplugged the tub to allow the water to drain away.

Killian hesitated for a long moment as he watched her work. He knew that he would need to get her stuff for her eventually, but forcing himself to leave for that brief moment of time was more difficult than he thought it would be that evening. All he wanted to do was curl up in bed with her, and never let her go.

"The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back," Emma teased, sensing where his mind had drifted to.

"You're not wrong there," he chuckled, leaning down to brush a tender kiss over her lips, and then another, before he finally pulled away and forced himself to head back through to the bedroom. "I'll be as quick as I can," he promised, pulling his jeans back on and stuffing his feet into his shoes, before he snagged a t-shirt from the dresser.

"And I'll be making myself comfortable and ordering pizza," his girlfriend called after him.

* * *

While Jones was busy grabbing her bag from his car, Emma finished cleaning up the mess they'd made in the bathroom, before she flicked off the lights to head back to the bedroom. Walking around her boyfriend's home naked felt a little odd, so she snatched his discarded shirt from the floor and slipped her arms into the sleeves, before roughly buttoning it up to cover her nudity.

It took her a moment to find the jacket that Jones had been wearing that evening. He'd clearly picked it up off the floor and had draped it over the back of a chair, on his way out. So after fishing out her phone, Emma dismissed the notifications that had been waiting for her attention, and dialed the number of her favorite local pizzeria to place her usual order.

When she was finished, she grabbed a couple of bottles of water and cans of soda from the fridge, before heading back through to Jones's bedroom. Emma hadn't really had the chance to fully appreciate the room before, given that all of her focus had been on what her wonderfully talented boyfriend was doing with his tongue. But now that she wasn't so distracted, she took the time to explore the space.

Much like the rest of his home, the bedroom had been decorated in shades of black, white and grey. The bed was the main focus of the space, dressed in plush looking grey sheets, which contrasted well with its black leather headboard. On each side of the bed was a small table, which each had a silver lamp stood on top. Emma could tell the side that Jones favored, as his was stacked with legal books and a few novels, along with a dock for his phone to sit in.

A large flat screen television had been mounted to the wall directly opposite the bed, with black and white images of the New York city skyline on either side. Jones had also placed two arm chairs beside the curtained windows, with a small table piled high with more books between the two, and a tall dresser rested on the opposite side of the room.

But for all of the furniture inside of the space, the large room still felt a little empty, and like it was missing something. But she couldn't quite put her finger on what that something was.

"Emma?" Jones called out, as he made his way back into the apartment, with her bag over his shoulder.

"In here."

The moment he saw her standing in the middle of his bedroom, he dropped the bag down to the floor at his feet to pull her back into his arms for a searing kiss.

"What uh… what was that for?" she asked, when he eventually pulled back to press his lips softly along the line of her jaw.

"You look good in my shirt," he mumbled between each press. "So fucking good."

Emma giggled in his arms, before pulling back a little to put some distance between the two of them. "As much as I would _love_ for you to keep going there, I'm not gonna be able to walk tomorrow if we do," she warned.

"I'm sorry, Love. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, not at all," she assured him, as she brought her hands up to cup his face. "I just haven't been this sexually active in… well, forever. And I don't know if you've noticed but, you're very gifted, Dr. Jones."

He chuckled a little at her choice of words, before faking a heavy sigh. "Damn, I guess that means we're in for a night of cuddling in bed and watching movies then?"

"I know, right? We've already become one of those boring old married couples."

As the buzzer sounded for the building, he leaned in to press a kiss to the tip of her nose, with his humor still dancing behind his eyes. "For what it's worth," he called back over his shoulder, as he headed for the intercom, "I don't think we could _ever_ become one of those boring old married couples. You're far too fascinating for that, Swan."

While Jones was busy answering the door and paying for their food, Emma grabbed a couple of towels from the bathroom to protect his bedsheets from the grease, and then made herself comfortable between the sheets once more, to check her messages.

There was one from Ruby, which she'd sent to let her friend know that she'd be spending the night with Graham, at a cheap hotel close to the club they were visiting that evening. Emma tapped out a quick reply to let her know that she'd gotten her message, and told her friend to have fun, before she turned her attention to the only other message she'd received that evening.

"Is everything okay?" Jones asked, as he made his way into the room, balancing a couple of boxes between his hands.

"Yeah, it's uh… it's just a message from Gloria."

"Is _she_ okay?"

Emma smiled softly at the look of concern that filled her boyfriend's face, as he slid the boxes down on top of the towels that she'd laid across the bed.

"Yeah. I _think_ she just gave me tomorrow off." At the look of confusion on Jones's face, she turned the small screen so that he could read the message written across it.

 **Betty and I will cover your shift for you tomorrow.**

 **Have a great night with Dr. Jones.**

 **See you next week.**

 **X**

"Remind me to send those ladies some flowers, or something," he chuckled, as he pulled his t-shirt up and over his head, before he moved to climb into the bed beside his girlfriend.

"Uh… what do you think you're doing?"

"Getting into bed," he replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Lose the pants, Jones. You're _far_ too over-dressed for bed."

"Says the woman wearing my shirt right now," he deadpanned.

"Yeah… but I'm not wearing any panties," she teased. "The bed is officially a pant free zone."

Jones dropped his hand down to the button on the front of his jeans, and flicked it open with a flourish. Emma knew that he was putting on a show for her amusement, but there was absolutely no way she was going to pass up the golden opportunity that he was offering to her.

"Make sure you put a little extra wiggle into those hips, as you slide your jeans down," she told him, while she settled back to lounge against the headboard and enjoy his performance.

Jones followed her instructions perfectly, but the moment he had his jeans down and around his ankles, he bent over to pick them up and then threw them in her direction. The sound of Emma's giggles as she pulled them off her face warmed his heart, and he slid into bed as quickly as he could. Even though they'd only been out of each other's sights for a handful of minutes, he already hated being away from her.

Emma seemed to be feeling the same way, as she leaned in to brush a soft kiss over his lips. She lingered a little longer than she had intended, as he returned each brush of her tongue with one of his own, before she pulled back to turn her focus down to the food sat between them.

"Okay, Jones. Less kissing and more eating," she instructed.

"Yes, Ma'am."

* * *

 **I have a question for you guys that I'd like your input on. With these chapters now becoming longer, it's making updates every week more difficult. So would you prefer shorter updates every Tuesday as usual, or longer ones every-other-Tuesday to give me some time to get them edited?**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	36. Chapter 35

**Sorry for the delay with this one. Between my husband's accident and work, I've not had a great deal of time to do much of anything.**

* * *

Killian jolted awake at the sound of the loud beeping noise coming from somewhere to his left. It took him a moment to shake the haze of sleep that was clouding his mind, but when he did, he reached over to silence the alarm sounding from Emma's phone. When the room was blessedly silent once more, he dropped his gaze down to the beauty who was stirring in his arms.

Emma stretched her body out along the line of his own, but instead of waking as he'd expected, she simply nuzzled herself in a little closer, before her breathing evened out once more. Killian released a small sigh of relief as he slid her phone back onto the table, before turning his attention down to the head of blonde hair that was tickling his chin.

Their night together had ended just as perfectly as it had begun.

After demolishing the food that Emma had ordered for them to share, and disposing of the trash, Killian had climbed back into bed and pulled his girlfriend into his arms, with the intention of starting the movie she'd picked for them to watch.

The two of them barely made it to the second scene before their soft touches and sweet kisses had turned to needy hands, pulling at what was left of their clothing, between bruising kisses. When Emma had come apart for the final time that evening, her climax had been so powerful that it had left her thighs trembling, as Killian spilled himself inside of her.

By the time he'd slipped from the bed to clean himself up, and returned with a damp washcloth for his girlfriend, he'd found her curled into his pillow fast asleep. Killian had taken a moment just watch the smile break over her face as she dreamed peacefully, before he gently wiped away the sticky mess on her thighs, and then climbed into bed beside her.

Emma had seemed to sense his presence though, as she'd wiggled her way across the space between them to curl into his chest, and Killian had drifted to sleep marvelling over the turn his life had taken, since his return to New York.

But that morning, as he smoothed back the hair from around her face, his thoughts took a slightly different turn. He couldn't remember the last time he'd held someone while they slept. The women he'd been with in recent years had all wanted the same thing he had from their encounters, and that certainly hadn't involved sleeping. Milah had been just as fiercely independent in her sleep, as she had been while she was awake. While she had enjoyed the intimacy that came from being held by him when they were alone together, she had always preferred to sleep in her own space, telling Killian that she got too hot when they were pressed together too tightly.

But Emma Swan was completely different.

Even in her sleep, she couldn't seem to get close enough to him. And Killian wasn't going to complain about that.

As she snuggled into his chest, he'd watch as all the tension and burdens she'd carried throughout the day slowly drained away from her, leaving her looking lighter and happier than she ever had before. It was only a subtle change, and one that he doubted many others would pick up on. But it was one he hoped he'd get the pleasure of seeing more often.

"I can hear you thinking," Emma mumbled, and he jumped a little in surprise.

"I thought you were sleeping," he threw back at her.

Emma did her best to supress a yawn, but she didn't say anything else. For a moment, Killian contemplated letting the silence hang between them, as he ran his fingers softly through her hair. But that didn't quite feel right to him.

"This is nice," he said instead, and then mentally berated himself for it. After spending all of those years in the world's best educational institutes, _this is nice_ was the best he could come up with.

Emma hummed her agreement into his chest, before brushing a kiss to the skin under her lips.

"I didn't mean that," he told her, before shaking his head firmly. "Actually, I did. I was just trying to be more eloquent and that didn't really work out for me."

Emma snorted out a laugh as she brought her fingers up to dance across his abdomen.

"What I meant to say was that I had a great night, Emma. One of the best I've ever had. And I don't know how I'm supposed to let you go in a few hours' time."

That finally had her lifting her head, blinking rapidly to try and clear away the sleep, as she struggled to pick out his face in the semi-darkness. "We have plenty of time left together," she assured him, reaching out to run her fingers gently over the line of his jaw. "I had a great time too. It was the best date night I've ever had."

"You mean better than a McDonalds in the park?" Killian teased softly, as she playfully swatted at his chest.

"It was close, but the pizza in bed definitely sealed the deal for you."

"I'm sensing a theme here. Maybe I should take you to Subway on Wednesday?"

"I wouldn't complain," Emma told him honestly, as she leaned down to brush her lips over his, before settling back into his embrace. "As long as I'm with you, I don't care what we eat or where."

"Me either, Sweetheart. Me either."

* * *

When Emma woke again she could tell it was later in the day. The heavy drapes did a good job of blocking most of the light from spilling through the large windows, but the room held a warm glow that had been missing before.

She took a moment to enjoy pulling herself lazily from her sleep. It wasn't often that Emma woke without the sound of her alarm blaring, and a pressing need to get to either work or class at a certain time of the day. So she wanted to treasure every moment of that morning.

When the haze finally seemed to clear, she tilted her head back to look up at the man she'd been sleeping with all night. Jones was still fast asleep. His long lashes rested undisturbed against his cheekbones, and a small smile was tugging at the corner of his lips. Emma thought that whatever he was dreaming about must have been good, to provoke that kind of reaction in his state of unconsciousness.

She would have liked to have stayed in the warm and comforting embrace of her boyfriend's arms for longer, but her need for the bathroom eventually had her wiggling carefully away from him. However, when Emma turned herself to sit on the edge of the bed, she hissed a little at the discomfort she felt down below.

She hadn't been lying when she'd told Jones that she'd never been that sexually active before. But as she padded her way through to the bathroom, snatching one of his discarded shirts from the floor along the way, Emma knew that she wouldn't have changed a single moment about their evening together. Everything from the show he'd booked for them to see, to the pizza party they'd had in bed, had been completely perfect.

And the memories he'd given to her, of her very first bath, were more than she could ever have asked for.

"I should've known I'd find you here," Jones purred, wrapping his arms around her from behind, to pulled her back into his warm, bare chest.

Emma chuckled a little as she melted into his embrace. "Thank you again, for this." She tilted her head back to press a series of kisses along his jawline. "I never really thought I was missing out on taking a bath, until last night."

Killian tightened his arms around his girlfriend in response, as he dropped a kiss to her shoulder. For a moment, the two of them stood in silence as the memories of their evening together played through their minds. But it was eventually broken by his whispered words.

"In case it wasn't clear last night, I meant what I said, Emma."

"You said a lot last night," she teased, turning in his arms. But the look on Jones's face had her humour dying behind her eyes.

He swallowed hard as he took in that shift in her expression, before tightening his grip on her waist. "I'm in love with you, Emma Swan."

Emma's breath caught in her throat when she tried to swallow down the emotion clawing its way up. Her tongue felt heavy in her mouth, as she attempted to form some kind of words to offer to her boyfriend.

It struck her, in that instant, that she'd never said those words to anyone in that way before. In fact, she could count the amount of people she had given them to on one hand. Ruby, Ruby's grandmother, Gloria and Betty were the only people in her life that she could recall saying them to. The only people who had stuck around long enough for her to feel comfortable offering them to.

And now she found herself wanting to offer them to someone else. To the beautiful man stood before her, staring down nervously at her as he waited to see how she would process his declaration.

"I'm in love with you too," she whispered back. The words were uttered so softly that he would have missed them, had it not been for the way they echoed slightly off the tiles.

Killian's face twitched ever so slightly upon hearing them, before it broke into the widest and most beautiful smile that she'd ever seen. Before Emma knew what was happening, he'd dipped his head to give her an earth-shattering kiss. One that had her clinging to his shoulders to keep herself upright.

"My God you're beautiful," he mumbled, pulling back to look down at the woman he loved. His happiness was infectious, and Emma couldn't help but return his smiles.

"You're not too bad yourself, Jones. But I uh… I really need to use the facilities, before I embarrass myself."

Killian snorted out a laugh that had Emma chuckling along with him, before he dropped another kiss to her lips and released her. "Go," he encouraged. "I'll be in the kitchen making us some breakfast."

Emma squeezed his hand tightly in thanks and turned to head for the half-wall the toilet was hidden behind, but was stopped when Jones tugged gently on her wrist.

"Are you okay?" he worried.

"Yeah. Why?"

"You hissed a little as you moved." Killian tugged a little harder on her wrist to turn her to face him, before lifting his free hand up to cup her face. "I didn't hurt you last night, did I?"

"No," Emma soothed, leaning up to mimic his pose. "Everything we did last night was wonderful, Killian. I don't regret a single moment of it. I'm just… not used to being so sexually active," she chuckled. "But I'm hoping you might helpme get used to it."

Killian couldn't stop his sharp bark of laughter at the way her brows climbed with her suggestive words. "I do hope you're not expecting that _every night_. I'm not sure my stamina is up to it."

Emma dropped her eyes down the length of his body, lingering a little over the bulge that she'd felt pressed into her lower back, when he'd held her.

"I dunno about that, Dr Jones. You seem to be doing pretty well on the stamina front."

Killian leaned down to press another kiss to her lips, and then finally pulled away with a frustrated groan, when his traitorous body started reacting to her intoxicating presence. "Go and use the facilities," he instructed. "I'm gonna draw you a bath to help with the ache, that you can take _alone_ this morning, and then I'll make us some breakfast."

"Thank you." Emma forced herself to move before she could become distracted by his gently lips and wandering hands again. But she smiled softly to herself when the sound of running water met her ears once more, as the room began to fill with steam.

* * *

When she finally pulled herself from the wonderfully relaxing bath he'd drawn for her, Emma slipped into a pair of her most comfortable jeans, and a simple red cotton shirt, before making her way out to the kitchen.

Jones was stood behind the stove, frying something that smelled like bacon as he hummed to the music filling the space. He'd pulled on his own pair of light jeans and a dark grey sweater while Emma had been bathing, and she took a moment just to marvel over how good he looked, wearing something so simple.

"Do you like what you see?" he called over his shoulder, wiggling his ass a little for added effect.

Emma's composure broke as the giggles overtook her body. She loved seeing this playful and joyful side to her boyfriend. It stood in complete contrast to the serious and intelligent professor vibe he had given off during their very first encounter. But it was no less appealing than the other side of him had been on that first day.

"I very much like what I see, Jones," she assured him, wrapping her arms around his waist as she rocked up onto her toes to press a kiss to the side of his neck.

"The feeling is mutual," he assured her, craning his head around to brush their lips together awkwardly.

When she pulled back he gestured to the pot of fresh coffee that was brewing off to one side, before he turned off the burners and began plating up the food he'd prepared for them both. While Emma wasn't yet familiar with every aspect of the space, she managed to find the mugs with relative ease, as Jones set their food down on the breakfast bar.

He didn't normally like having people in his space when he was trying to get something done, but as per usual, Emma Swan seemed to be the exception to that rule. There was something so easy about the way they moved around the small kitchen together, never getting in each other's way, but remaining close enough to touch. He would drop a kiss to the crown of her head as he reached into the draw for cutlery, and Emma would lean in to press another to his cheek, while she passed him to grab the creamer from the fridge.

It was everything he'd always scoffed at seeing in the movies. And something he had no idea he'd ever really wanted before.

"What's this?" Emma asked, as he finally joined her at the breakfast bar, and slid a small brown envelope across the countertop in her direction.

"A gift." Jones's reply sounded more like a question than an answer, and Emma reached for the stationary between them with curious fingers. She wasn't sure what he could possibly have gotten for her that would cause him to look as nervous as he currently did.

Not after everything that they'd shared over the last few days.

When she finally had it open, Emma turned the small envelope upside down so that the contents of it would drop out onto the table beside her plate. A small silver key bounced across the surface, before settling beside her coffee mug, as a piece of plastic dropped down to land next to her fork. The two items looked innocent enough, but had her brows shooting up as she turned her eyes back to her boyfriend.

"I don't understand."

"They're keys," he stated unnecessarily. "To my place. _This_ place. I uh… I just thought that this way, you could come over and take a bath whenever you wanted one. You've been without for long enough, Emma. I don't want you to ever go without again."

Emma tried hard to fight back the moisture that she could feel pooling at the corners of her eyes. It was such a small gesture, but one that she would treasure, like she would have the finest of jewels.

"Thank you, Killian."

"You're welcome," he whispered back shyly, before turning his attention down to his meal.

The two of them ate in a companionable silence to begin with, just enjoying the good food and the even better company. Jones was the one to eventually break it, when a thought suddenly occurred to him.

"So, um… how long do I have you for today?"

Emma's eyes flicked over to the clock on his oven. She knew that Ruby would probably assume that she was working that morning, just like she did every Sunday. So that would give her some time to play with. But she also knew that she had a paper to start work on, and notes to review before her classes the following morning. And if she were being brutally honest with herself, there was another reason she wanted to get back to her apartment on time too.

"I usually finish at around four on a Sunday. I can stay until then?" she offered. "I uh… I kinda wanted to spend some time with Ruby tonight, if that's okay with you? We haven't had a lot of time together recently, and I kinda miss my friend."

Jones reached across the breakfast bar to tilt his girlfriend's head up, so that her eyes would meet his. "That's nothing to be ashamed of, my love. I'm the new person in your life. I'm the one that needs to learn to share you with everyone else."

"I'd say you're doing pretty well so far," she chuckled, before ducking her head back down to focus on her plate.

Even though the two of them had finally spoken the words that had been hanging over their relationship for the past few weeks, they were both in relatively new territory, when it came to learning to deal with their feelings for each other.

"Have you uh… have you had any more thoughts about joining me in Vegas?" Jones eventually asked, keeping his gaze on his plate.

"Betty said I could take the weekend off for it. But I'm still waiting to hear what my exam schedule will look like for that week. Sorry."

"You could um… you could always fly out Friday night when you're finished," he suggested. "You'd miss the first day of the conference, but at least we could spend the weekend together, before coming back?"

Emma's eyes softened as she reached out to take her nervous boyfriend's hand into her own. His desire to spend the weekend with her, a weekend where he would also be surrounded by people of his own age and educational background, made her heart skip a beat. She still couldn't quite believe that he would rather spend time with her, than with them.

"I uh… I'd really like that," she told him. "As long as I'm not going to be a bother to you. I know this is your big weekend."

"It's just a conference," he chuckled. "It's really nothing overly special."

"It is for you. And for me," she added. Because while she wasn't currently the chosen demographic for its attendees, Emma hoped that one day soon she would be. That maybe, in the not-too-distant future, she might be the one asking Jones to join _her_ while _she_ spoke at the event. "Besides, I've seen your background, Jones. You're like a rock star in our world," she teased.

Killian snorted into his mug of coffee at her words. "I'll trade the Merc in for a Harley, shall I?"

"God no," Emma protested fiercely. "You're sexy enough as it is. Adding leather and a motorcycle to that mix would be too much for the female population to handle."

Killian chuckled heartily as he reached out to take her empty plate from her, and Emma grabbed their coffee mugs to refill. She didn't startle when his arms wrapped around her waist, and his chin came down to rest against the top of her head. It already felt so natural to her.

"As long as I'm enough for you to handle, I don't care about the rest of the female population."

Emma waited until she'd finished preparing their drinks to their liking, before she dropped her hands down to cover his. "I think there are times where you're still too much for me to handle, Jones. And I hope that never changes."

Killian dropped his chin down to rest on her shoulder as he pressed his cheek tightly against her own. "The feeling's very much mutual, my love," he whispered into her ear, before pressing a kiss to the skin just below it.

* * *

Emma and Killian spent most of their morning together on the sofa.

Killian wanted to work on the revisions his editor had suggested, and Emma had discovered a book on ethics in his study, that she wanted to read. So he'd settled himself into the corner of the couch, with his laptop resting on the arm, as Emma stretched out along it, with her head propped up on a cushion resting over his lap.

As his eyes scanned the lines of text he'd written, his fingers would drift through Emma's hair, scratching gently at her scalp. Every time she came to a part of the book she found particularly interesting, she'd reach out and squeeze his hand, mumbling a page and line number that he would jot down into a blank document for her.

It was the perfect way for the two of them to spend a lazy morning together. And even though they barely spoke, Killian was positive that it was one of the best of his entire life.

As the time inched closer to noon, Emma marked her page with a piece of scrap paper, before dropping the heavy book down onto the coffee table to her left. Her body tensed briefly as she stretched out her muscles, groaning a little at the stiffness it held, before she relaxed back into the cushions once more.

"How about we head out for lunch?" Killian suggested, saving his document before closing down his laptop. He'd noticed that Emma's focus had been wavering over the last hour, and she had taken his own with it.

Emma pushed herself up and twisted around to drop her feet down to the floor, as she brought her eyes over to meet his. A part of her wanted to ask if they could order in. The thought of having the outside world intrude on their perfect weekend was a little scary, because the outside world had already proven before, that it had the ability to shatter their happiness in the space of only a few moments.

But after everything that they'd said the night before, and everything that had been said since then, Emma was no longer worried about what the outside world had to say about their relationship. Killian Jones loved her. And it would take one hell of a bombshell to rock their relationship now.

"Do you have anywhere in mind?" she asked, her eyes twinkling a little with supressed humour.

"Not McDonalds," he protested quickly, sensing where her thoughts had gone. "I was thinking that maybe we could just go for a walk, and see where we end up?"

"That sounds wonderful." Emma leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips, lingering a little longer than she had intended, as Jones slid his arm around her waist to stroke his index finger over the bare skin above the waistband of her jeans. But she eventually pulled back when the desire to jump him became almost impossible to resist.

* * *

Even though they were already well into the month of April, Killian made sure that Emma was well wrapped up before he grabbed his keys from the bowl by the front door, and ushered her out of his apartment. The last thing he wanted to do was get her sick. Especially if that meant that he wouldn't get to see his girlfriend while she was recovering.

"Left or right?" he asked, lacing his fingers through hers as they stepped out of the large glass doors of his building. It was the first time that Emma had used the main entrance, and it was every bit as grand as the rest of the building had been.

"If we go left, then…"

Killian brought his free hand up to lightly rest his index finger over Emma's lips, effectively silencing her. "I don't care what's where. All I wanna do today is enjoy spending the rest of our time together. So pick a direction – not because it'll help us avoid certain groups of people, and not because there's something there that we can do. Pick one so we can just walk and enjoy being together."

"Right," she told him. "Let's head right."

As they walked, Jones and Emma made idle chat about the plans they had for the following week, which included a meeting with Jones's publisher. It was an event that he shrugged off as being no big deal, but one that Emma was incredibly excited to hear about. It hadn't taken long during her initial research on him to realize that Jones was considered a leading authority on the topic of legal ethics. And she knew that any book he ended up publishing would soon end up on the recommended reading lists of every major law school around the world.

Even if she hadn't played a part in any of that, she was proud of her boyfriend for everything that he'd managed to achieve. So Emma absolutely refused to shrug off any of his accomplishments.

The first eatery they came to happened to be a small café, and the two lovers headed in from the cold. Emma picked a table towards the back of the space, and near the roaring fire that had been lit, while Jones made his way over to the counter to order them both some refreshments.

It was a wonderful way to spend their afternoon, and by the time they left a few hours later, hand-in-hand once more, Emma was certain that they would be back again soon.

* * *

Saying goodbye later that day turned out to be harder than either of them thought it would be. While Emma promised that she would meet Jones in their usual spot once more on Wednesday afternoon, that date seemed so far away, after the wonderful weekend they'd spent together.

"Are you sure I can't talk you into staying tonight?" he asked, as he peppered soft kisses up and down the side of her neck, straying a little lower every time. Killian knew that his request was selfish, but he'd been without the kind of love and affection that Emma was blessing him with for too long. And he wasn't ready to let it go yet.

"If I stay tonight, you and I both know that I'll probably never leave. And I'm not sure either of us are ready for that kind of commitment just yet," she pointed out, as she tried hard to swallow back the breathy moan that was building in her throat. If she let that slip, Emma knew that it would be game over.

"I wouldn't complain," he mumbled quietly, between presses of his lips. "Will you stay Wednesday night?"

"I can't. I have early classes on Thursday morning. But I um… I could come Friday," she offered instead. "I have to work all weekend, but at least we'd get some time together after I finish school and my shifts."

"I'll take it," he chuckled, before guiding her head around to bring his lips down to meet hers. Killian was hoping to leave Emma with the kind of kiss that would have her thinking of him for the rest of the day. And if the dazed expression on her face when he pulled back was anything to judge by, he was pretty sure that he'd managed to achieve that.

"Call me tomorrow?" he asked, pulling back to give her some room to breathe.

"I will. I uh… I love you, Killian."

The smile that he wore at the sound of those three small words falling from her lips, was nothing short of stunning. He wasn't sure there would ever come a time where they didn't fail to make his heart skip a beat.

"I love you too, Emma." Killian took her hand into his own and brought it up to his lips, before dropping it back down to her lap as he reached over to open the door for her. "You should probably go now, though. I'm so close to locking the doors and driving you back home. Consequences be damned."

Emma chuckled but reluctantly nodded her agreement. The longer she lingered, the less important the reasons for her needing to leave seemed. "Drive safe," she whispered, before pressing a kiss to his cheek and slipping from the vehicle.

Killian waited until she was safely inside of her building once more, before he started his engine to head back to his own apartment.

Wednesday afternoon couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Killian reached for his phone as it buzzed on the bedside table, and quickly unlocked the device when his eyes landed on Emma's name. For a moment, he was far too captivated by the image she'd sent him to realize that there were words attached to the message.

Emma had sent her boyfriend a picture of herself, resting in her bed. He couldn't see everything that she was wearing, thanks to the duvet she had covering herself. But his eyes were inexplicably drawn to the thin white strap of her shirt that had slipped down over her shoulder, and now rested around her upper arm like a cuff.

Only Emma Swan could make something so simple and innocent, seem so damned sexy.

As he finally pulled his eyes away from her image to read her accompanying words, Killian found his hand coming up to rub at the space where his heart was beating in his chest. Almost as if he could soothe the ache of missing her that way.

 **I wish you were here to keep me warm tonight.**

He took a moment to save the image she'd sent to his device, and then set it as his wallpaper, before tapping out his reply.

 _I can be there in twenty minutes?_

Those three little dots appeared almost instantly, so Killian waited to see what her response would be, before he sent anything else. When the screen eventually darkened without her reply, he unlocked it once more and lifted the device above his head, to snap a picture of himself.

 _I wish you were here too._

 _But I can be patient._

 _I love you. X_

 **I love you too. X**

Killian locked his phone once more and slid it back onto the table, before rolling over in his bed. He knew that sleep wouldn't come easily for him that evening.

Not when the scent of her… _of them_ … still lingered on his sheets.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	37. Chapter 36

"Morning," Ruby yawned, as she made her way out of her room to drop down into one of the seats around their small kitchen table.

"Good morning," Emma chuckled. "Busy weekend?"

"Uhuh," Ruby mumbled, as her friend sat a steaming mug of coffee in front of her. Emma waited patiently while she took a number of small sips of her drink, allowing the warmth and bitterness of it to wake her fully, before she expanded on her answer. "Midas sent me back those revisions he wants doing for my paper, at _nine_ on Saturday night. I spent all day yesterday trying to get them done so I could hand the fucking thing in to him today."

That explained everything.

Ruby had already been asleep when Emma had made it back the night before, and she'd written off her concerns for her friend's health as it being due to a night of heavy partying. While she was certain that Ruby had made the most of her Saturday evening, Emma also knew that her friend was serious about her studies. So if Midas had been demanding rewrites due on Monday, Ruby would have done everything she could to make those happen.

"I'm sorry, Ruby. But I'm sure it will all be worth it when you get that grade back."

"I dunno," she sighed, "Midas is so tough to please. But as long as he passes me, I'll be happy. And I stand a better chance of that happening with these rewrites, than without them."

"I'm sure he will," Emma assured her, as she poured herself another mug of coffee and took her own seat. For a long moment the room was filled with a comfortable silence, as both women sipped at their drinks. Emma had assumed that her friend was still busy shaking off the haze of sleep, and she'd pulled out her phone to reply to Jones's sweet message wishing her a good morning. But when she looked up again it was to see Ruby smiling fondly at her over the rim of her mug. "What?" she asked.

"I assume that's your Sugar Daddy?"

"Please don't call him that."

"Well, maybe if you introduce me to him, so I can put a name to the face, I would," she threw back at her friend, arching one of her perfectly plucked brows in Emma's direction.

"Soon," Emma promised, as she locked her phone and slid it back onto the table. "I just… I'm having the best time with him, Ruby. And I don't want it to end. The last time someone from our lives got involved, we ended up not speaking to each other because of a miscommunication. And while I don't think you're gonna accuse him of being a pervert, like his friend did, I just wanna enjoy having him to myself for a moment longer. But I promise, I'll introduce you both soon. Just… give me a few more weeks to enjoy this honeymoon phase? Please?"

"Okay," Ruby agreed. "I can wait a little longer." She allowed a silence to settle over them both once more, and Emma made the mistake of thinking that would be the end of their conversation. So she was a little surprised when her friend suddenly asked, "How was your date?"

"It was uh… it was good. The show was great. And he had a private box for it too, so we had the _best_ seats to watch the performance from."

Ruby's brows climbed her forehead a little as certain pieces of the puzzle began clicking into place. It wasn't the show that had her friend flushing bright red. It was her date. Or, more accurately, what he'd done after the show. "Did you come home this weekend?" she wondered.

"What? Why would you ask that?" Emma tried to keep her voice as level as she could, but even she knew that it wasn't working.

"I was just wondering what must have happened during the show for you to blush like that, when you remembered it," she teased. "And then I realized… it wasn't the show that you were remembering. It was what happened _after_ it. You got laid, didn't you?"

Emma opened her mouth to deny her friend's accusations, and then snapped it closed once more. The weekend she'd spent with Jones wasn't one she regretted. And now that Ruby knew a little more about their relationship, it was also one she didn't need to hide.

"Yeah," she confessed, as she turned her attention down to the chipped mug between her hands. "Multiple times."

"Damn, Girl. I'm guessing my next question of, 'was he any good?' is kind of redundant now."

Emma giggled along with her friend as she nodded her head in agreement. "Let's just say that he knows exactly what to do, and when," she told her, before adding, "And I'm not saying anything else on the subject."

"Oh, come on, Ems. I share all the good details with you."

"Yeah, and it took me _weeks_ to look Graham in the eye again after you described the shape and size of his penis to me in so much detail. No thanks, Ruby."

Ruby finished the last of her drink to smother her giggles, as she glanced over to the clock on their ancient oven, and then groaned a little in frustration. "Ugh, we need to leave soon," she pointed out, and Emma nodded her agreement. "But, when we have some time this week, you and I are going shopping," she added, making her way back through to her room to stuff her laptop into her bag. "If you're having regular sex now, then we need to get you a better wardrobe."

"I don't think Killian cares much about how many pairs of jeans I own," Emma pointed out, looping a light scarf around her neck, before she slid her arms into her jacket.

"I wasn't talking about _that_ kind of wardrobe," Ruby told her friend. She slipped past her and out of their front door with a slight smirk on her face, as Emma lagged behind.

It took her longer than she would care to admit to work out what kind of wardrobe her friend had been talking about.

* * *

"So, what were you thinking we should do on Wednesday?" Jones asked, as Emma wedged her phone between her shoulder and her ear, to accept the tray of food that she'd ordered. Ruby was in the library, giving her paper for Midas one last read through, after her friend had found a couple of typos in it. And Emma had decided to make the most of her free time by ordering some food, and calling her boyfriend.

"I uh… I was thinking that maybe I could take you out for the afternoon," she suggested carefully. She had been doing some research the night before on her laptop, and at some point during the evening, she'd ended up booking tickets for an attraction on Wednesday afternoon, on a whim.

"Carry on," he drawled down the line, and Emma could just imagine the way his brow had climbed his forehead as he spoke.

"I uh… I booked us tickets for the Empire State Building," she said, suddenly doubting her actions. It had seemed like a good plan at the time. Neither of them had been before, and it was an attraction that while not cheap, certainly wasn't as expensive as some of the ideas that Jones had suggested for their future. But now that she'd told him about her plans, she was a little worried that he wouldn't find it appealing enough. After all, they certainly didn't compare to the night he'd planned for her the weekend before.

"That sounds like a perfect way to spend the afternoon with you. Will we be dining at another fast food restaurant before we go?"

Emma chuckled at his question and took a small sip from her cola, before she replied. "Not this time. I reserved us a table at the grill they have there. I figured we should go all out, just in case this is the only time I ever get to visit it."

"I like how you think," he told her genuinely. "I'm looking forward to getting to see such a beautiful sight again so soon."

"I thought you said you'd never been before?"

"I wasn't talking about the building, Emma."

Emma smothered her giggles into the back of her hand, so that she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself. She knew that the line was cheesy, but she could tell that the meaning behind it was genuine. And she loved Jones all the more for it.

"I can't wait to see you again," she offered.

"Well… you could stop by on your way home. My door is always open for you, Sweetheart."

"I know." And Emma truly did. She knew that she could probably turn up on Jones's front door at any time of the day, any day of the week, and he would welcome her inside with open arms. But she didn't want to become one of those people who pushed aside all of her responsibilities, and her other relationships, just because she had a pretty boy feeding her even prettier lines. "I just have a ton of work to do if I'm gonna spend the weekend with you. And I promised Ruby that we could go out shopping together later this week too. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I know I'm not the only person in your life right now, Emma. And if I'm completely honest with myself, I'm glad I'm not. You deserve to be surrounded by people who love and respect you. I'm just feeling a little greedy right now. I'm sure it'll subside soon enough."

Emma wasn't sure that last statement was completely true, and she was pretty sure that Jones knew it wasn't either. But she didn't say anything else. She appreciated how understanding he was, and a small part of her loved just how much he craved to be with her too. It made her feel wanted and desired, in a way that no man had ever managed to achieve before.

"So, tell me about how your day's going," she invited, as she sank back in her seat to eat the warm sandwich that she'd purchased for lunch.

* * *

Ruby was practically skipping beside her friend as the two of them made their way off campus the following day, headed for their favourite mall. She had always loved a good excuse for a shopping trip, even if she wasn't the one doing the majority of the purchasing. And as much as Emma normally hated the chore herself, she was struggling to find it in her heart to hate anything that made her friend so happy.

"Is there anything else you need while we're here?" Ruby asked, already mentally plotting the best places to hit.

"Uh… I guess if there's anything on sale, I could always grab some new shirts and jeans. But I'm not really looking to spend a fortune today, Ruby. We still don't know if we'll get to keep the apartment next year. And if we can't…" Emma didn't need to finish her sentence. Both women were already well aware that if their landlord decided to sell, or let to someone else, their rent would at least double in price.

"That doesn't mean that you can't treat yourself every now and then, Ems. I hate seeing you work so hard to only pay bills."

"I don't _only_ pay bills."

"No. You buy textbooks too," her friend countered, with a knowing smirk.

Emma stopped moving for a moment as she considered the idea of her final year of law school. Jones still had most of his old textbooks, from what she'd seen of the books he'd unpacked in his study. And he had a great deal of new ones to match them. She wondered if she might be able to get away with borrowing his for the year, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on her own.

"Hello? Earth to Emma?"

"Huh?"

"Thinking about your hot boyfriend?" Ruby teased. "Actually, I don't think you've ever told me what he looks like. Is he hot?"

"Yes," Emma replied, but the way Ruby's smile widened told her that her friend had _very_ different ideas about the kind of thoughts Emma had been having. "And I wasn't thinking about him in that way," she chided. "I was just wondering if he'd have the books I need for next year. Remind me to ask him tonight, will ya?"

"He's a lawyer?" Ruby prodded, as she slowed her own steps to allow her friend to catch up with her.

"Kinda. It's sort of how we met." Emma had been too lost inside of her own mind to remember just how little she'd told her friend about Killian Jones. And now she was kicking herself for it. She was pretty certain that Ruby now had enough information to put together his identity without her help, if she wanted to. And her best friend was curious by nature.

"I should have known that you'd be attracted to the nerdy types," she said instead, as she steered Emma over to a rather scary looking lingerie store.

"Oh no," she protested. "I don't think we need anything like… _this_."

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing, Ems. Killian will be thanking me when he sees what these places have to offer. Now… does he have a favourite colour?"

"Uhh…" Emma was a little embarrassed to admit that she didn't know if he did. While they'd had plenty of conversations since he'd sent that first email, none of them had included the basic get-to-know-you questions like that.

"It doesn't matter," Ruby declared, already sorting through a rack of tiny lacy things. "If he doesn't, he will do after he's seen these. Now… what do you think of this?"

"Where's it supposed to go?" Emma tilted her head a little one way, and then back the other, as she tried to figure out the item that her friend was holding out to her expectantly.

In hindsight, she probably should have come alone.

* * *

It was as the girls were headed towards the food court, to grab something to eat, that one particular store caught Emma's attention.

Ruby had dragged her around every lingerie shop in the building, and although she'd tried to talk Emma into buying something a little more risqué than her usual taste, Emma had left with only a few new sets of matching underwear, in a variety of different colours. While she didn't doubt that Jones would enjoy seeing her in a corset, or something apparently called a teddy, Emma didn't quite feel comfortable enough in her relationship yet to venture into that territory with him. So she hoped that her boyfriend would enjoy what she'd picked out, when he finally got to see it over the weekend.

And if she felt a little more daring in a few months' time, at least she now knew where to go.

But there was something else that she knew he would appreciate, and that she already felt comfortable wearing for him.

"Do you mind if we just head in here quickly?" she asked her friend, nodding to the open doorway of the darkened store.

"Of course not." Ruby looked a little confused, but she didn't complain. If it had been up to her, she'd have browsed every store in the mall that looked like it sold clothing or accessories, on the off-chance that the two of them might find some bargains. But she knew that Emma wouldn't appreciate being dragged through every shop in the mall that afternoon. Especially when she had deadlines to meet.

Emma took a moment to look over the rows of shoes and sandals that filled the shelves, before something along the back wall finally caught her attention. Sitting her bags down at her feet, she reached for a pair of long black boots, and turned them over in her hands. The heels were solid, which would make them easier to walk in. And they had a dark zip hidden on the inside, which would make them easier to pull on and off.

"Excuse me. Do you have these in an eight?" she asked the nearest assistant, holding the boots up so that they could be seen.

"I'll go and check for you."

Ruby watched as the older woman headed back to the storage room behind the counter, before she turned her attention over to her friend. "Do you need new boots?"

"Uh, need? No," she replied cryptically. "But uh… Jo… Killian. He um, he liked yours," she added quietly, keeping all of her gaze on the black velvet fabric in her hands.

It didn't take long for Ruby to work out the true meaning behind her friend's words. And when she did, a wide smile broke across her face. Killian might not have had a preference when it came to the lingerie his girlfriend wore, but he certainly seemed to have a thing for over-the-knee boots.

"This is the last pair," the assistant declared, as she handed a large box over to Emma, for her to try on.

Ruby stood back and watched as her friend slipped off the sneakers that she was wearing, and wiggled her feet into the new boots. As soon as she knew that Emma could both stand and walk in them, she held out her credit card as a silent offering.

"Ruby!" Emma chided.

"What? Call it an early birthday present. And make sure you tell Killian that I expect my thanks in the form of a fancy meal, when I finally get to meet him. If he's loaded enough to rent a private box to take you to the theatre, then he's loaded enough to buy me a proper steak."

Emma chuckled softly as she placed the boots back into their box and followed her friend to the cash register. If the lingerie didn't blow him away, at least she knew that her new boots would.

* * *

 **Sorry this one is a little shorter than the last few have been. I felt like Ruby deserved this time alone with Emma, before Jones got her back again.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	38. Chapter 37

"Fuck my life," Emma mumbled, staring out of the small windows at the very top of their lecture hall to watch the rain that was washing down over them.

"What's up?" Walsh looked genuinely concerned for her as his eyes roamed over her form, searching for some kind of physical sign of her distress.

"Emma has a date this afternoon, and the rain's gonna ruin her hair."

The woman in question flicked an annoyed glare over to her best friend. She knew that if Ruby had spent as long as she had that morning curling her hair, for a date with the man she loved, she'd be just as annoyed as Emma was.

"Where's your date?"

"It's not too far," she replied vaguely. Emma didn't quite feel comfortable announcing her plans for the day to the rest of her friends. She wouldn't put it past them to accidentally crash the event just to meet the man she was spending her time with. But she didn't like lying to them either. "With the way it's coming down out there, just leaving the damned building's gonna soak me through."

"You could always reschedule," Ruby suggested, with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

Emma _really_ didn't like that plan.

While the tickets she had booked were valid for a year, making it possible for them to pick a day where it wasn't raining, Emma had been looking forward to getting to experience such a huge landmark in the city she loved. It was one of the items that had been on her bucket list ever since she'd first learned the term 'bucket list,' and now that she had the opportunity to cross it off, she didn't want to let something as small as the weather put her off.

She also _really_ wanted to see Jones again. They had only been apart for two days, but those two days had started to feel like two months whenever she climbed into bed alone at night.

"I'm just gonna hope that it stops raining before Mrs. West finishes this lecture. And if it doesn't, then maybe my jacket will save me."

Emma wasn't sure she'd ever been so distracted during a lecture before. It didn't help that Mrs. West was covering the same content that Jones had delivered earlier that year, and in a much less engaging manner. So when the group was finally dismissed, she was relieved to get out of the stuffy room, even if it was still pouring with rain outside.

"Are you sure you don't wanna call him and cancel?" Ruby pressed, following their peers through the corridors as they made their way down to the building's lobby.

"I'm sure. I'll be fine. At least I brought a jacket with me." To make her point, Emma pulled the fabric from her bag and shook it out, before slipping her arms into the sleeves. She did her best to make sure that she tucked all of her hair inside of the faux-fur lined hood, before she zipped it up as high as it would go. She was pretty sure that she looked as far from sexy as she could get in that moment, but if it kept her dry she wasn't going to complain. Emma didn't much fancy a trip up the Empire State Building in soaking wet clothes.

"What are you guys doing today?"

"Just heading to the library, I think. I still haven't finished the edits on that paper due for our Human Rights class. And I am _not_ getting these new boots wet and muddy," Ruby stated, as she lifted the leg of her jeans to show off her latest bargain. Emma gave a hum of appreciation as her friend dropped the fabric back down into place, before she leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek. "Have fun and stay safe."

"I will do. I'll message you later if I'm gonna be late back."

Ruby cocked a brow in her direction that said she fully expected Emma to be late back, before she followed Graham and Walsh down the corridor to take the long route to the library, that would keep her from stepping out into the rain. Emma watched her friends disappear into the crowd before she steeled her resolve and headed for the double doors that would open out into the courtyard.

The moment she stepped off campus and onto the sidewalk she felt a familiar reassuring presence at her side, as an umbrella moved overhead to help shield her a little more from the relentless downpour.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked, tilting her head back to look at Jones. He was wrapped up warm with a scarf twisted around his neck, and a black pea coat covering his torso. But his hair was a little damp in places, showing that he too hadn't managed to fully escape the elements.

"I was worried you'd have forgone a coat again, for fear that it didn't match your outfit," he chuckled, carefully transferring the umbrella over to his left hand, so that he could wrap his right arm around her waist. "Are you sure you wanna do this today? We can always go back to my place and try again, when the weather's more cooperative."

"I'm sure." While she couldn't deny that the idea of spending the afternoon in bed with her boyfriend was appealing, Emma wanted them to enjoy the experience they had both been eager to share. "Besides, once we get to the Empire State Building, most of the day will be spent inside. So hopefully we'll both avoid getting sick."

"Okay," he agreed, tightening his grip on her waist as he helped guide Emma along the sidewalk and towards the nearest subway station. Thankfully, it wasn't a long walk, and by the time they'd made it down to the platform, only the very ends of her hair had gotten damp from the rain.

Jones stood his umbrella against the wall behind them while Emma pushed back her hood and pulled down the zipper on the front of her coat. She might have stayed warm and dry thanks to the fabric, but she felt a little uncomfortable being wrapped up so tightly.

"Hey," Killian whispered softly, sliding his arms around his girlfriend's waist to tug her in for a kiss, when he could see more of her face. He had fully intended for their exchange to be soft and sweet. It was his way of telling Emma just how much he'd missed her, and how much he was looking forward to spending the afternoon with her. But the moment he had his girlfriend in his arms, all of his plans for soft and sweet flew from his mind.

"If you keep that up Dr. Jones, we're not gonna make this date," Emma teased, pulling back to catch her breath. Killian kept his forehead pressed against her own, enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment in the busy space of the subway station. He'd never met anyone who could make him forget what was happening around him as well as Emma Swan could.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" He cocked a brow at her that had Emma's sanity wavering in the face of her arousal, and the smug smile that tugged at his lips told her that he was more than aware of the effect he had on her body.

"Behave," she chastised gently. "The train will be here at any moment."

Killian pouted a little before turning them both to face the tracks as he wrapped his arms around her waist and propped his chin onto her shoulder.

Just as she had predicted, their train didn't take long to arrive, and they quickly piled on with the rest of their fellow passengers. It was far too crowded onboard for either of them to get a seat, but Emma wasn't too worried. Jones was a sturdy presence behind her, holding her close to his body as they whispered a conversation about their morning between the two of them, while the rest of the passengers went about their own business.

Emma was grateful that her boyfriend had so much experience with navigating the city, as he was able to get them on and off at all of the right stations, putting them as close as he could to the Empire State Building, without ever needing to head back above ground. So when they finally emerged onto the street for the final part of their journey, she breathed a sigh of relief to find that the rain had stopped, and blue skies were slowly creeping back in overhead.

"Perfect timing," Jones declared, lacing his fingers with hers as they made the short walk down East 33rd Street.

* * *

"Wow. It's so… _different_ ," Emma remarked, turning her head to take in the large room they were now stood inside of. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

Jones chuckled a little as he let go of her hand to wrap an arm around her waist. "Did the big building not give it away?"

"It just… it doesn't look like it does in the movies."

"That's because this is a new entrance," he explained, as he pulled Emma over to a line that was forming to collect pre-booked tickets. "It opened earlier this year. The old lobby is still an attraction, though. We can visit it before we leave, if you'd like?"

"I uh… I probably should have read the website a little better before I booked the tickets, huh?" Jones simply shrugged his shoulders in response. Emma knew it was his way of agreeing with her, without actually saying the words.

Killian didn't want to start their date by criticizing her planning skills, but he also knew how important it was for any lawyer to thoroughly read the materials in front of them, before they made a decision. So he was sure this was a moment she'd remember well, when she next booked an attraction online.

While Emma was printing out the passes that she'd bought for the two of them, Killian made sure to step to one side, so that he wouldn't hold up the line for the people behind them. The new visitors center was much more modern than the old lobby had been, but it was still fascinating enough to give him plenty to look at. Killian found the artwork on display to be particularly captivating.

"Are you ready to go up?" Emma asked, startling him out of his appreciation for the King Kong portrait hanging on one of the walls, as she handed over his ticket.

He glanced down briefly at it before he asked, "You booked fast passes?"

"The website said that it was the best way to experience this, and I figured if we were gonna do it, we should at least do it right," she explained.

Killian leaned down to brush his lips over hers. Their kiss was nothing like the one in the subway station had been, but it was enough to show his girlfriend just how much he appreciated what she'd done for them. Because the truth was that he'd already looked at booking tickets for the tour when they returned from Las Vegas, so he knew how much those fast passes would have added to her final total. A part of him wanted to protest at the obvious expense she'd occurred for their afternoon together, given that Emma wasn't yet working a fulltime job. But Killian didn't voice those concerns. He didn't want the woman he loved to feel like she wasn't on an equal footing with him in their relationship, just because she didn't have a bank balance as large as his. And he knew that deep down, she wouldn't have booked what she had if she didn't think she could truly afford to spare the money.

"What was that for?" Emma asked, as he pulled back to rub his nose affectionately against hers.

"Just because I love you," Killian told her, tangling their fingers together once more so they could make their way over to the security line that was forming. "I hear it's what people in love do."

"I think you might be right," she agreed, offering him a breath-taking smile as she rocked forward onto her toes to brush another kiss to the underside of his jaw. "And I love you too."

Jones's answering smile was just as wide as her own had been, and Emma was oddly proud that she'd managed to put that look on his face, with only five simple words.

* * *

After showing their fast passes, an employee inside of the building ushered them both to the front of the security line. When they were finally given the all clear, Emma and Jones boarded the next available elevator, ready to head up to the observation decks.

"Is this your first time?" An older woman to their left asked. She and her friend were the only other people on board with them, and clearly looked like they'd done this many times before.

"Yeah," Emma confirmed. "For both of us."

"You'll love it. We come every time we're in the city, and it never fails to amaze us both after all these years."

Emma exchanged a small look with her boyfriend, that told her he had no doubts that they'd end up feeling the same way, before they turned their attention back to their fellow visitors.

"Where are you ladies from?" Jones asked politely.

"Wisconsin," the second woman replied, her eyes widening slightly at Jones's clearly un-American accent. "What about you? I know that's not one of ours."

Emma watched as her boyfriend chuckled adorably at the way the other women were watching him, while she rubbed a reassuring hand over his own.

"Ireland, originally. But I've been away from home longer now than I've ever spent there. I travel a lot for work," he explained, at their confused looks.

Jones was saved from elaborating any further when the carriage gently rocked to a stop, before a loud ding signaled their arrival at the eightieth floor. Ever the gentleman, he waved a hand to signal that their companions should exit first, before he took Emma's hand once more to step off the elevator.

The Dare To Dream exhibit wasn't as busy as she expected the observation deck would be, so it allowed them both to take their time looking around the room. Jones was happy to linger over each of the displays, studying the plans and photographs that had been presented as he read the text that accompanied them.

If she were being completely honest, the construction and engineering behind the massive building weren't of much interest to Emma. But her boyfriend seemed to find all the new little tidbits of information being presented to him completely fascinating, so she didn't complain about the way he dragged her from one piece to the other.

As long as Jones was happy, Emma would consider their date a resounding success.

* * *

The short ride up to the first of the observation decks didn't take long, and Emma and Jones were soon stepping off an elevator once more, and into a large empty space, with windows that already offered wonderful views of the city. They lingered inside for a moment, just taking in what could already be seen of the New York skyline, before they followed the groups of people disembarking from other elevators to head out onto the observation deck.

"Wow," Jones remarked. His eyes were fixed on a point in the distance that Emma couldn't quite see yet, thanks to his height advantage. But he didn't hesitate to guide her over to a section of the deck that was relatively quiet, so that the two of them could get a better look at the views being offered.

"I see your wow and raise you a holy shit," she mumbled, as she scanned the distance. Her brain was busy trying to catalog everything she could see, while it tried to place names to the different landmarks in the distance.

"Central Park," Jones pointed out, as he crouched down to drop his chin onto her shoulder. "We're going there for our next mid-week date."

Emma pulled her eyes away from the place he'd been pointing to so that she could watch her boyfriend, and she wasn't at all disappointed. He looked completely overwhelmed by the entire experience, and she knew in that moment that the money she'd spent on their date was worth every cent she'd paid.

"You know we'll probably need a few days to explore _all_ of Central Park," she argued, as she pulled his arms around her shoulders to settle back more comfortably into his embrace.

"I have absolutely no problem with that."

The two of them made their way slowly around the deck, pointing out the different sights they spotted to each other, as they snapped pictures of everything that caught their attention. Emma was so happy to see that the dark clouds she'd woken to that morning had almost completely passed, leaving the day to warm up as the sun bathed the city in its warm glow.

"Would you two like some pictures together?" a familiar voice asked almost half-an-hour later. Emma turned away from the view she had of the Statue of Liberty to see the two older women from earlier that afternoon, standing just behind them. "You should have something to remember your first trip by."

Killian flashed his girlfriend a quick look to check that she was okay with the arrangement, before he opened up the camera app on his phone and passed it over.

"Thanks. That's really kind of you to offer."

"It's no problem," the woman assured him, as she lifted the device to center the shot. She must have taken at least twenty images of the two of them together, directing them to step back a little, or to the left a bit more, in her search for the perfect picture.

At one point, Emma stumbled slightly over her boyfriend's foot, and he had to bury his laughs in her neck at the way she censored her cursing when she noticed a small child watching them both.

It really was the perfect way to spend their day together, and they both knew it.

"Here you go," the older woman said, as she handed Jones's phone back to him. "The ones of you two laughing are my favorites."

"Thank you." Killian slipped the device securely into his pocket with the intention of checking the images over later, as he turned to Emma to ask, "Are you ready to head back down?"

"Nope. We're going up again," she told him. "I booked for the whole thing. Go big or go home, right?"

"Absolutely right," their new companions agreed. "We're doing the same thing."

* * *

The views from the one-hundred-and-second floor were even more spectacular than Killian could have imagined, and the new friends that joined them made the experience infinitely more memorable, as they continued to snap pictures of the happy couple's first trip.

The observation deck up there was much less crowded than the one sixteen floors below had been. And although it was fully enclosed, it allowed them both to see so much more than they had before. (Especially when Jones wrapped his arms around Emma's waist and lifted her feet from the floor, to give her a better view.)

But for Killian, the best part of the entire journey was watching how Emma's face lit up with every new site that was presented to her. He knew that she had believed this could be her one and only trip to the building, but as he watched Joyce and Julie point out some of their favorite places in the city, he resolved to bring her back the following year.

And every year after that.

* * *

"Okay, gift shop and then we can go and get some food," Jones declared, once they were safely back inside the elevator once more.

"We don't need to go to the gift shop," Emma protested.

"I'm sorry, where did you learn to do the tourist thing?" he asked, his tone full of mock-outrage. "You can't come to a place like the Empire State Building without getting a souvenir to remember the trip by."

Emma giggled a little at the look of horror on her boyfriend's face, but she let him tug her out of the elevator and into the store without any resistance.

The shop was busier than the exhibition had been, but not quite as crowded as the observation deck, which made it easy to explore. Jones insisted on examining every item inside of it, holding up some of his favorites for Emma's approval before either tucking them under his arm, or putting them back down again.

When he finally headed for the cash register his arms were full of trinkets all shaped like the building they were currently inside of, and a couple of new mugs that he declared completely necessary to replace the ones he'd broken during his move. He looked exactly how Ruby had always said Emma looked inside of a library, and she was so happy to see how much joy her date had brought to his day.

While she was waiting for her boyfriend to pay, Emma turned her attention to the people making their way in and out of the small store. She loved seeing the excitement on the kids' faces as they were told they could pick one item to remember their trip by, and the look of resignation on their parents features when they realized they weren't making it out without spending another small fortune.

She was completely lost in the moment, enjoying being able to people watch as she kept an eye on her boyfriend's position in the line. So Emma didn't notice the person that had spotted her from across the room.

"Emma? Is that you?"

She turned instinctually at the sound of her name, but froze when she recognized the person who had called it. It was the same person who was currently making her way through the crowds, and over to where she was stood, with a wide smile on her face.

"Belle? What are you doing here?" she asked, trying her best to act completely normally.

"Oh, it's my friend Dotty's birthday today, and she's never visited before. We decided to bring her as a surprise. What about you? Is Ruby here with you?" Belle scanned the store behind them as if the brunette would suddenly jump out at her, but frowned a little when she realized that she couldn't see anyone else she recognized.

"Uh… no. Ruby's with the guys. I'm um… I'm on a date."

"Oh!" Belle looked more than a little surprised by the information. Ruby hadn't said anything about Emma dating when the two girls had spoken over the weekend. "Where uh… where is he?"

"Paying for his new haul of goods," she explained, with a slight chuckle. Emma's mind wouldn't stop supplying the image of that giddy look on his face when he began holding up the things he wanted to buy. She was certain that had been the kind of moment the phrase, 'like a kid in a candy store,' had been coined for.

"Ah." Belle's eyes immediately flew over to the line of people waiting to pay inside of the small gift shop. Emma followed her gaze and sighed a little when she spotted Jones. He was already handing over his credit card, which meant he'd be heading back her way soon. And to make matter worse, he was the only guy over the age of ten in the line. Which meant there would be no doubts about who she had been referring to.

When he finally turned away from the cashier, Emma watched Belle's face carefully for any signs that she might have recognized the man. But her friend's face remained a mask of neutrality.

"Is everything okay?" Killian asked, as he slipped an arm around Emma's waist and leaned in to drop a kiss to her hairline.

"Yeah. Uh… Killian, this is my friend Belle… _from law school_. Belle, this is my boyfriend, Killian." She really hoped that Jones would pick up on what she was trying to communicate, without her needing to actually say the words.

The last thing Emma needed was for Belle to reveal the identity of her sugar daddy to Ruby, before she could. While Ruby had been patient enough about waiting until Emma was ready to share all of the details about him with her, she wasn't sure her friend would forgive her if she found out that Belle had discovered everything first.

"It's nice to meet you," he offered, giving the brunette a small smile. It wasn't quite as easy or as breath-taking as the one he saved for Emma, but it still had the other woman's knees weakening slightly.

"You too," she told him, tilting her head slightly to survey the man more carefully. "Do I um… have we met before?"

"Possibly. I live quite close to campus," he explained vaguely, while Emma sighed with relief.

"Ah, I've probably seen you around then," she reasoned. "I'll let you guys finish your date. Have fun." Belle gave them both another bright smile and a small wave before she made her way back through the crowds and over to a vaguely familiar group of girls, that Emma was sure she'd seen in her lectures before.

"Are you okay?" Jones worried, tightening his arm around her waist.

"Yeah. I just… that went better than I thought it would." She let him tug her along in the direction of the elevator once more, so that they could head back down to the lobby before finishing their day at the bar and grill Emma had reserved a table for.

"Most people don't tend to think there's anything wrong with our relationship, Emma. I mean, you only have to look at how Joyce and Julie treated us earlier to see that. And we're certainly not breaking any laws. David was just being an arse. I doubt any of your friends would react the same way that he did."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right," she agreed, as she turned to rest her head against his firm chest. His jacket was a little scratchy under her cheek, but Emma forgot all about her discomfort the moment his arms came up to hold her close. "Maybe when we get back from Vegas we could uh… we could go to dinner with them? Ruby wants a decent steak."

Jones chuckled into his girlfriend's hair before pressing a firm kiss to the top of her head. "I'm sure I could find somewhere in this city that serves a decent steak. And I would love to meet your friends, Emma."

Emma pulled back a little to meet his eyes as she whispered, "I love you," before pushing up onto her toes to brush a light kiss over his lips.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	39. Chapter 38

"I swear, my intentions were almost completely pure when I invited you back here," Killian called out, as he slid his right arm behind his head to prop himself up a little in the bed.

"So, you mean you didn't invite me over to your place just for sex?" Emma flicked the light off inside the bathroom, before making her way back to him.

She was wearing the shirt that she'd torn from his shoulders the moment they'd closed the door behind themselves, and a pair of tiny purple panties. Killian knew that he'd never be able to wear that shirt again. Not now that he knew just how stunning she looked in it, with her lips still slightly red and swollen from his kisses, and her hair a mess from his fingers. It would join the one from last weekend that was already tucked into a small box in the back of his closet, along with the ticket stubs from their night at the theatre.

Emma pulled herself onto the end of the bed before she began crawling her way up and over his body, to sit straddling his hips. Killian wondered if she even knew how seductive she was, as his hands came up to wrap around her waist and hold her steady.

"Well, I can't say I'm all that disappointed about the turn our afternoon took," he chuckled. "But I don't want you to think that all I care about is sex. You mean more to me than that, Emma."

"I'm pretty sure you've already proven your point there, Jones. But thank you for caring enough to worry about that." She leaned down to brush her lips over his and squealed in delight when he rolled them both until he was hovering over her once more.

Killian had been sure there was nothing more beautiful than the sight of his girlfriend wearing his clothes and looking freshly fucked. But the sight of her wearing his clothes and looking freshly fucked as she lay underneath him in his bed, her eyes wide and bright in delight, might be his new favorite.

"You're so beautiful," he told her, as he reached up to push the hair away from her face. "I love you."

"I love you too," Emma whispered back, pulling his lips down to meet hers.

Killian kept their kisses slow and sensual as they teased each other with soft flicks of their tongues and gentle nips of their teeth. These were the kinds of kisses that he loved the most. The ones where there was no expectation of anything more. Where two people could show each other just how much they loved being together. They were the kind of kisses that a person could lose themselves in for hours, as they basked in the affection being rained down upon them.

But their kiss that afternoon was cut short by a deep buzzing sound. It took a moment for Emma to realize what that sound was, and when she did, she sighed a little in defeat. Things definitely wouldn't be going any further for them that day.

"Sorry," she whispered to her boyfriend, who mumbled his, "don't be," into the skin of her neck, before he began trailing kisses down and over every inch of bare skin he could reach.

A quick glance at the vibrating phone by the bed showed Ruby's name on the screen, and Emma snatched it up to answer her friend's call.

"Hey, Ruby. What's up?"

"Hey. I'm sorry to interrupt your date," her friend began, as Emma bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from moaning wantonly at the attention her boyfriend was still lavishing upon her body. "I just wanted to give you a heads up as I figured that you probably hadn't checked your emails all day."

"No, I haven't. Why? What's going on?"

"Midas sent one to the entire class. He's been informed of a family emergency and he'll be out of town all next week. It means he's bringing the deadline for our penultimate consultations forward. So if you wanna have him look at your work one last time, then…"

"He needs it by Friday," Emma finished for her. "Shit!"

"He sent the message a few hours ago but I've literally only just checked mine. I'd have called sooner if I'd seen it earlier, Ems."

"I know you would have. Thanks for getting in touch, Ruby. At least I can work on finishing those edits now, instead of having to rush to do them when I get back home."

"No worries. I'll see you soon."

Emma disconnected the call with another sigh, sliding the phone onto the table beside the bed before she dropped her hand down to run her fingers through Jones's hair. She hadn't realized that he'd stopped moving halfway through the call, but she appreciated that he hadn't tried to distract her when it became apparent just how important it was.

"Is everything okay?" he whispered softly.

"Yeah. Midas just moved up our next deadline thanks to a family emergency, so I now only have until Friday to get my next draft to him for revisions or…"

"The next copy you hand in will be the piece for your final grade," Jones finished for her.

While he'd spent most of his education in British schools, Killian knew enough about how the US system worked now to understand just how important this deadline was for Emma. So with a slight groan from his aching muscles, he pushed himself up until he was hovering over his girlfriend, brushed one more kiss just above her belly button, and then rolled off her.

"Do you study better with tea or coffee?" he asked, as he slipped off the bed and bent down to pick up his discarded jeans, giving Emma a wonderful view of his ass.

She took a moment to appreciate how her boyfriend always seemed to know what she needed before she spoke. "I think coffee is the way to go right now. You wore me out earlier."

"Coffee it is," he promised, leaning back down to brush his lips lightly over hers before he left the room to prepare a fresh pot in the kitchen.

Emma shook her head fondly as she finally climbed down from the bed and snatched up her own jeans from the floor. She left her bra and shirt in place, however. The comfort of Jones's overly-large, cotton button-down that she was currently wearing was far more appealing than the cheap polyester of her own clothing.

* * *

Emma had been working on her revisions for over an hour when Killian finally mustered up the courage to ask if he could see her notes. He wanted to offer his help to her where he could, but he was painfully aware that she was working to a tight deadline, and the last thing he wanted to do was slow her down.

"Sure," she agreed, sliding a large notebook across the table for him without pulling her eyes from her laptop screen.

He allowed his index finger to just lightly brush against the side of her hand as he reached to take the book but otherwise said nothing else. Emma was completely absorbed in her work, and she probably wouldn't hear him anyway.

But when he opened the first page of her notepad, Killian had to swallow back the gasp that was building in his throat. He'd taught classes on a semi-regular basis before his return to New York, so he knew how illuminating a person's notes could be in regards to the type of student they were. And Emma's were everything he'd been expecting them to be – and more.

The entire book was dedicated to the topic she was currently working on and was clearly her edited version. There was a small index page at the very beginning, which would help her find what she needed easily, and each different section of the unit had been color-coded to make her life better.

She had the key legal principals down on the page, along with the cases she felt best supported each part of the law, and in some situations, those she felt that didn't. There were book titles and page numbers for easy referencing, and some of her favorite quotes which he knew she'd likely memorized by now. She'd even included quotes from her lecturers along with time and date stamps, which he assumed she would use to revisit her recordings.

Everything on those pages told him just how much Emma wanted the career path she'd picked for herself, and just how hard she was working to make that happen. Killian wasn't sure he'd ever been prouder of his girlfriend than he was in that moment.

"What?" she asked, as her eyes flicked over to him briefly before falling down to her screen once more.

"You just… you continue to amaze me, Emma. I'm so proud of you, Love." He stood from his own seat and made his way around the table to brush a kiss over the crown of her head, before straightening up again. "I um… I know it's pretty late but I have a book that I think you might find interesting. It probably won't help with this draft but you might be able to work something into your final piece from it, if you'd like to see it?"

"Are you serious?" Emma asked. "You never have to ask me if I wanna see your book collection. The answer to that is always going to be yes, Jones."

He chuckled a little at the look on her face before bending down once more to press his lips softly to hers. Killian knew that he shouldn't really be distracting her, but she was just so cute when she found something academically exciting that he couldn't seem to help himself.

"It might take me a while to find it, but I'll be back as soon as I do."

"That's what you get for not unpacking your books," she taunted, and Killian's laughter followed him down the hall.

Emma wasn't entirely sure how long her boyfriend had been gone for, but her attention was startled away from her laptop when a sharp rap on the front door echoed through the apartment. She frowned a little in concern as she tried to recall if Jones had mentioned anything about ordering dinner.

When his head poked out of the doorway to his office he flicked a look up the hallway to meet Emma's eyes, before frowning and turning back towards the front door.

"Are you expecting someone?" she asked, pushing away from the table.

"No. Are you?"

"Nobody knows I'm here," Emma chuckled. "I mean, they know I'm with you. They just don't know _where_ we are. Or _who_ you are."

The knock sounded again and Killian's plans to ignore his visitor faded along with it. If the person on the other side of the door was already knocking for a second time, then it was unlikely they'd go away anytime soon.

"Maybe it's one of your neighbors?" Emma suggested.

"Yeah. Maybe. Wait here," he told her, as he made his way back down the hall to pull open the door.

There weren't many people in New York who knew Killian had returned, and there were even fewer who knew exactly where he lived. So he really shouldn't have been so surprised to see David and Mary-Margaret standing outside of his apartment.

David's eyes flicked up and down his friend's form, likely taking in the unbuttoned jeans hanging loosely from his hips and the wrinkles in his undershirt, before he lifted them to meet Killian's gaze

"What are you doing here?"

"I um… I came to apologize," David offered nervously. "Can we uh… can we come in and talk?"

"Now's not a good time."

"Please, Killian? David told me what happened between the two of you. We just want a chance to make things right," Mary-Margaret implored.

Killian sighed as he took in the clearly devastated look on his friend's face. It was so hard to say no to a woman as sweet as she was. It was even harder to do when she looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Five minutes," he conceded, pushing the door open a little wider and taking a step back to let them pass. As he closed the door behind the two people he'd once believed would support him through anything, Killian prayed that Emma would forgive their intrusion. He remembered how hurt and humiliated she'd felt the last time she'd been in a room with David, and he could only hope that she wouldn't leave his home that evening feeling the same way.

His wonderful girlfriend must have gotten sucked back into her work, however, as she didn't look up at the sound of soft footsteps down the hall, and instead simply asked, "was it anyone important?"

"I guess that depends on your definition of important," he replied, as he reached up to scratch behind his right ear. Now that they were all in the same room, everything seemed so painfully awkward.

When Emma finally pulled her eyes away from her screen they seemed to instinctually fall on the people stood just behind her boyfriend, gaping in her direction.

Killian made his way around the table to stand beside her as he wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders. It was a clear show of loyalty to Emma, even if she didn't realize it. But from the looks on David and Mary-Margaret's faces, they certainly had.

"Emma, this is David and Mary-Margaret Nolan. I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to introduce you guys properly the last time we met."

Emma turned a small smile up to Jones, one that said she understood that he wasn't happy about the interruption to their day, as she assured him, "It wasn't your fault." She took a second just to gather her thoughts before she reached for her laptop and notebooks. "I'll finish this in the bedroom and let you guys talk in here."

"You don't have to do that," he protested.

"It's fine. Just… come and find me when you're done?"

"Of course." Killian leaned down to brush his lips tenderly over hers before watching his girlfriend make her way confidently through his home and down to his bedroom, where she closed the door gently behind herself.

For a moment, the apartment was eerily silent as the two men faced off against each other from across the room.

"I didn't know she'd be here," David offered.

" _Emma_. Her name's Emma. And she's welcome here whenever she has the time to be here."

"You make it sound like she's too busy for you."

Killian knew that his friend was attempting humor to break the tension in the room, but it was falling flat. Echoes of David's last words to him kept playing on a loop in his mind - and those had been far from funny.

"She's a graduate student studying law at one of the best universities in the country. Of course she's busy. I'm sure you remember what it was like for us."

"It was a while ago," David argued, but even without being able to see the expression on his wife's face at that moment, he knew it had been the wrong choice of words.

"Why don't you say whatever it was that you came to say and then leave?" Killian suggested, folding his arms over his chest. "That way, I might be able to salvage the rest of my evening with Emma."

"Is she really worth it?"

Killian's face fell at his friend's words. He had so badly wanted to believe that David had come to make amends, but it seemed like that wasn't on the other man's agenda for the night.

"Get out!"

"I just… I just want to know if she's worth it," he protested, taking a step forward as he raised his hands in surrender. "Is she worth the risk you're taking to your career, Killian?"

"Yes. Absolutely. And you'd know that by now if you hadn't rushed to judge her the moment you met her."

"Can you really blame me for that? You weren't exactly in a position that screamed loving relationship to me."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Killian drawled, with sarcasm dripping from every word he spoke. "I didn't realize that I was supposed to judge your relationship with Mary-Margaret based _only_ on the sexual side to it. Silly me."

"I didn't…"

"He was wrong," Mary-Margaret cut in, in an attempt to save her husband before he could put his foot into his mouth again. "He was wrong, Killian. He knows you better than that. And he shouldn't have rushed to judgment. But please, don't let this come between you both. You've been friends far too long for that."

"Do you know what he called me when he saw us together?" Killian asked, as he took a small step forward. "Did he tell you? I'm betting that he didn't, or you would be a whole hell of a lot angrier than you are right now."

Mary-Margaret flicked a look over to her husband before turning her full attention back to her friend.

"He called me a pervert. Friends don't call friends perverts, Mary. _Especially_ not friends that should know each other better."

"David! How could you?" Mary-Margaret turned to face her husband fully as her rage and fury began to fill the space around them both.

"Can you honestly tell me that you wouldn't have thought the same thing?"

"Yes! Killian's our friend. How could you accuse him of something like that? I barely even got a look at that woman and I know that she's over-age. So why the hell would call your friend that?"

"I just… I was shocked, Mary. I thought Zelena would be perfect for him, you know? She _is_ perfect for him."

" _Emma's_ perfect for me," Killian threw back, because he didn't want or need Zelena in his life, and he intended to make that perfectly clear to his friends.

"I just… I wasn't expecting to find him kissing someone else in the hall. Especially not someone over a decade younger than he is. You know I didn't mean what I said." David moved his gaze up and over his wife's head to meet his friend's eyes as he asked, "You know I didn't mean it, right? I'd never have meant something like that, Killian. You just… you used to be so predictable, you know? And since Milah died, I guess… I guess I've just kinda felt like I don't really know you anymore. I hate that feeling, Killian. I hate feeling like I've lost my best friend. And I know you needed time to deal with her loss. I've tried to give you that. But I thought you coming back to New York meant that I'd get my friend back. And I guess I just saw you with her… with Emma," he corrected, at the fire burning behind Killian's eyes, "and I realized that I might never get the old Killian back again."

Killian softened his stance a little as he considered David's words. The couple stood in front of him were the closest people in his life to family now. He'd lost almost everyone he cared about, and he'd be lying if he said that each of those losses hadn't changed him in some way. So he could kind of see where his friend was coming from in that respect.

"I don't think I'll ever be that person again," he confirmed, as he uncrossed his arms and leaned back on the table behind him. "It's hard to explain but when you lose someone, a part of you dies with them. That part of you they held goes too. And I don't think anyone is ever the same after that. But it doesn't mean I'm not your friend, David. That part of my life hasn't _ever_ changed. And as long as you stop calling me a pervert for falling in love with a woman fifteen years younger than me, it won't ever change. I just need you to accept that I'm with Emma now. I love her, David. I didn't think I'd _ever_ find someone I loved again after losing Milah, so you can bet your arse that I'm not giving her up now that I have her."

"You love her?"

"Yes. She's… she's amazing, David. Intelligent, dedicated, understanding, compassionate, responsible, generous, caring and loving. She's everything you'd want for me. She just happens to be younger than I am. But honestly, if you spent some time with her you wouldn't know it."

"Well uh… maybe we could all go and grab some dinner together?" Mary-Margaret suggested. "That way we could get to know each other a little better."

"I'd like that. But it would have to be another night." Killian's eyes flicked over to the still-closed door of his bedroom, and he briefly wondered how much Emma had been able to hear of their exchange. "We kinda had a late lunch, and it wasn't exactly small. Emma also has a deadline that she needs to meet. I don't want to distract her from making that."

"Of course. Some other time then," she agreed. "We uh… we should probably get going if Emma's busy with her school work. We didn't mean to interrupt your evening together."

"It's fine. We did the fun stuff earlier this afternoon," Killian joked, but when his friends' eyes widened a little in shock he rushed to clarify, "We went to the Empire State Building. That was all I meant. We uh… we did the whole tour and then got some lunch on site."

"Have you never been before?" Mary-Margaret looked a little horrified that someone could spend as much time in New York City as Killian did, and never have visited the legendary building before.

"Nope. It was a first for both of us. But hopefully it won't be the last time we go."

"I hope not. Give us a call next week and I'm sure we can find a date that works for us all," she offered, stepping forward and opening her arms expectantly.

Killian didn't hesitate to move into her embrace. As much as he'd been angry with David for what had been said that night all those weeks before, Killian had to admit that he missed his friends. He missed having people to gush to about how wonderful his girlfriend was, and how happy he was with his life now. And he missed having people to turn to when he knew he couldn't be with Emma, and he was feeling at his loneliest. He hoped that now everything had been laid bare between them all, the Nolans could become those people in his life once more.

And beyond that, he really hoped that Emma would be able to forgive them for what had happened and what had been said. Because nothing would make him happier than having his best friends and his girlfriend together at last.

* * *

"Hey."

"Hey," Emma offered softly, as she pulled one of the buds from her ear and hit pause on her playlist. "Is everything okay?"

She watched as Jones made his way further into the room, closing the door softly behind himself before he took a seat beside her legs on the bed.

"We talked. We uh… we worked some stuff out. So I think it will be."

"That's good. I know how much you missed him."

"You do?" he asked, as he reached out to take one of her hands into his own.

"Yeah. You might not have said it, but I could see it whenever you thought about him, Killian. I'm glad you guys got a chance to talk. Just… please tell me that he apologized for what he said last time? Because that crossed a line."

"He did," Killian assured her. He loved how fiercely protective his girlfriend looked in that moment. It was oddly endearing and incredibly sexy. "Mary-Margaret would love for us to have dinner with them soon. Do you think that's something you'd want to do?"

"This weekend?"

While Emma didn't like seeing her boyfriend isolated and upset, as he had been after the encounter with his friend at Ruby's party, she had been looking forward to spending the weekend alone with him. Or, as alone as they could be when she had to work. She didn't much fancy spending the precious few hours she'd have free Friday or Saturday evening making polite small talk with two people who probably still felt like she was an unsuitable match for their friend.

"No. Not this weekend. This weekend I plan on keeping you here in this bed, as much as humanly possible."

"I thought you said that you weren't only interested in me for my body," she teased, as she closed the lid on her laptop and moved it to rest safely on the table beside the bed.

Emma watched while Jones's eyes darkened as they tracked the movement of his shirt against her skin, revealing that she'd removed her jeans once more when she'd climbed back into the bed to finish her work.

"Oh, I'm not. I'm interested in a lot of other things right now too. Like those breathy little moans you make whenever I touch one of your nipples." His hand reached out to slip into the open fabric of his shirt, brushing against the taut flesh he found there to elicit the sound that he'd been talking about.

Killian pushed aside the blankets covering her legs and reached up to run the backs of his fingers over the soft skin of her thighs, inching ever closer to the heat between her legs as he did. "And the gasps that fall from those beautiful lips whenever I touch you here," he continued, as he pushed the lace of her panties aside to tease her intimately.

Emma's gasp was every bit as beautiful as he knew it would be.

"And who could forget the incredible way my name sounds on your lips, every time I make you come," he purred darkly, pushing himself forward to hover over her now-prone body.

"Killian," she whispered, between those delightful gasps and moans he loved so much. "Stop talking and take your clothes off."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	40. Chapter 39

With Midas's deadline met, Emma and her friends turned their attention to the next big milestone in their education – second-year finals.

Lecturers and tutors alike seemed to have collectively agreed that now all of their work had been turned in, it was time to start pushing the importance of revision. Which was why the small group of friends had taken up residence in the library on campus. And when they weren't in the library, they were in the closest coffee shop quizzing each other on their weakest subjects.

Killian could remember the urgency that surrounded his own exams when he was in law school. He could remember the need to spend as much time as humanly possibly revising every topic that had been covered that year, just to feel like he was fully prepared for whatever might be thrown his way. So he wasn't exactly surprised when Emma missed his call the next day, and later messaged to explain where she was and what she had been doing. When he'd finally been able to speak with her that evening, his only concern had been her sudden realization that she hadn't eaten all day. After that, Killian promised to start timing his calls at around lunchtime. It would give his girlfriend the perfect excuse to slip away from the library and get some food, while he rambled on about how his day had been and what he was working on for his book. It would also give Emma a much-needed break from the library every day. One that he was sure she hadn't yet realized that she would need.

It was during their conversation on Thursday evening when Killian finally broached the topic that had been on his mind since he'd opened her message. "So uh… did you need to reschedule this weekend?" he asked carefully, when there was a lull in their conversation.

"Why? Are you busy?"

"I was thinking of you, Love," he chuckled. "I don't wanna get in the way of your revision, and I'm already pulling you away next weekend for our trip to Vegas."

"It's fine," Emma assured him. "It's uh… it's actually been nice getting away from the books tonight." She hadn't realized just how true that statement would be until she'd taken his call. Emma's mind was already beginning to defog, and she felt a lot less overwhelmed than she had been while she was in the library. "As long as you don't mind me being surrounded by books while I'm at your place, I don't see why we should cancel."

"You know I don't. And if you need someone to bounce ideas and legislation off, I'm definitely your guy."

"Yes, you are," she purred, but her tone told Killian that her mind had strayed away from her studies for a brief moment, and over to some other more enjoyable activities that they could engage in during their time together that weekend.

"I can't wait to see you again, Emma."

"Me either," she told him, her tone ringing with genuine sincerity. "But I uh… I need to detour to my place before coming back to yours. I _really_ don't feel like dragging my stuff for the weekend all the way around campus with me Friday morning."

"Why don't you drop it off at my apartment on your way to school?" he suggested. "It seems silly to waste time going back and forth when you're walking right past."

"I uh… I…"

Killian gave her a moment to sort through her thoughts. He liked to think that he knew Emma well enough to know that she would speak when she found the words she needed and that she trusted him enough to say whatever was on her mind.

"I always walk with Ruby," she eventually said.

"You can bring her up to the apartment, Emma. That doesn't bother me."

"I know, I just… I don't think twenty minutes before we're supposed to be in a lecture is the perfect time for you two to be meeting."

"Ahh." Suddenly it all made sense! "Well, if it helps, I probably won't be there. I have a meeting with my publisher at nine, and you know how bad early morning traffic can be in the city."

"Are you sure? We don't want to invade your privacy."

"I wouldn't have given you a key if I didn't want you invading my privacy, Emma. I trust you and I love you."

"I love you too," she sighed, the relief in her tone evident even over the line. "I um… I should head back, though. I'll talk to you tomorrow lunchtime?"

"I look forward to it."

* * *

Emma waited until they were back in their tiny apartment before she told Ruby about her slight change of plans for the following day. She had a fairly good idea of how her friend would react, and Emma knew that the library was not the place for it.

"So, um… I was thinking of leaving here a little earlier tomorrow, if that's okay with you?" she said, as she busied herself with digging around in their freezer for something they could eat that evening.

"Do you wanna hit the library before class?"

"Uh… no. I um… I wanna stop by Killian's place and drop off my stuff for the weekend."

Ruby's head shot up to meet her friend's gaze as a wide smile began working its way over her face.

"He won't be there," Emma rushed to clarify. "He has a meeting in the city. But it's on our way and it saves me having to come back here after class and then head that way again to get to his when we finish."

Ruby was a little disappointed that meant she wouldn't be meeting the mysterious Killian any time soon, but she had to admit that being invited to see his place was a step forward. It would probably tell her more about her best friend's boyfriend than Emma ever would.

"Sure. We can do that. How are you gonna get in if he's not home?" she asked. Ruby watched as her friend blushed an adorable shade of red while she tried to hide her face in the freezer once more.

"I have a key," Emma mumbled quietly.

"I'm sorry, what now? You have a key to your boyfriend's apartment?"

"It's not a big deal. He gave it to me last weekend for situations just like this."

"It's a _huge_ deal," Ruby argued. "You don't give someone you don't trust a key to your apartment. This is… you guys are like _really_ committed, Emma. Hell, I've been with Graham for over a year now and I still don't have a key to his place."

"Graham's a student."

"Exactly! So he probably has fewer items of value in his place than your sugar daddy does in his bathroom." Ruby fell silent for a moment as she tried to process the implications of what her friend had just said. She had thought that Emma was keeping her sugar daddy a secret because she didn't think the relationship would go very far. And if Ruby were being completely honest, she didn't think it would either, given the vague way in which Emma had described their age gap. But now… everything had changed.

This guy wasn't just throwing his money at Emma to make her happy and get laid in the process. He was giving her the experiences that Emma had never been able to afford for herself. The ones that he knew she'd never forget. Ruby wanted to kick herself for not having seen that sooner. And now, he'd given her a key to his place. A key that said he not only trusted her but that she was welcome in his home whenever she wanted to be there.

Emma wasn't hiding her man because she was worried about Ruby's reaction to his age, she was hiding her man because she loved him, and she didn't want to risk anyone or anything ruining that for her.

If Ruby hadn't known her friend as well as she did, she'd have been offended by that idea. But given Emma's past, she couldn't say she blamed her for hiding Killian away.

"I can wait to meet him," Ruby eventually said, before dropping into her usual seat at their small dining table.

"Soon," Emma promised, turning her attention over to their oven to get started on preparing their dinner. "I'll make it happen soon."

* * *

Ruby was awake before Emma the following morning. It was possibly the very first time in their friendship that such a rarity had occurred.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Emma mumbled, as she grabbed a couple of slices of bread to put into the toaster.

"It's a nice day. Can't I be happy about that?"

"Yeah, I'm sure that's _all_ you're happy about today," her friend replied, before turning her attention back to her breakfast. Emma was starting to think that letting Ruby loose inside of Jones's home wasn't such a good idea. But she couldn't seem to come up with any way to change their plans that wouldn't look suspicious.

While they ate, Ruby made light conversation about the topics she thought their lecturers would review that day, and what she'd packed to prepare for it. Emma appreciated that she was staying away from the subject of their little detour that morning, because with every bite she took, her stomach churned that little bit more with her worries.

Ruby was quick to volunteer to clean up from breakfast, so Emma used the time to grab her bags from her room and fire off a quick message to Jones, just to make sure that he was still okay with their plans. His response came only minutes later in the form of an enthusiastic yes, and his declaration that he couldn't wait to see her again. The thought of finally being back in his arms helped to ease her tension, and Ruby certainly noticed the smile on her best friend's face when she finally left her room.

"So, where are we headed?" the brunette asked, as they both stepped out of the front door of their building and onto the sidewalk outside.

"In the same direction we usually head."

"Yeah, but where do we detour to get to Killian's place?"

"I'll tell you when we get there," Emma sighed, setting her battered rolling case onto the floor so that she could drag it behind her up the road. With a long weekend ahead of her, she'd thought it would be better for transporting all of her revision essentials than the large duffle bag she normally used.

Ruby huffed a little at her friend's vague response but happily followed as Emma guided them down their usual route towards campus. When the streets went from looking a little rundown and rough around the edges, to neater and better cared for properties, she took a moment just to study her surroundings. While she'd made the walk many times before, over the past two years, Ruby wasn't sure she'd ever really stopped to appreciate the buildings in the area. She was normally too focused on her end goals to care. However, that morning, she was so distracted by her new observations that she hadn't realized her friend had stopped moving a few feet back.

"Earth to Ruby," Emma called out loudly. "This is Killian's building."

Ruby's jaw dropped with her surprise. She'd known that Emma's boyfriend wasn't exactly strapped for cash, she just hadn't realized exactly how wealthy he was. " _This_ is where your boyfriend lives?" she asked, making her way back to Emma's side to watch as her friend fished her wallet out of her bag and touched a keycard to the sensor on the wall.

The large, glass double-doors buzzed loudly to signal that the card had been accepted, and Emma quickly tucked away her wallet once more as she pushed against the one on the right.

She didn't bother replying to her friend's query. Instead, Emma focused on making her way through the bright and airy lobby, flashing the guy at the security desk what she hoped was a reassuring smile on her way back to the bank of elevators. There was one already waiting when she hit the call button, and she nodded for Ruby to step into the carriage ahead of her before she climbed inside and hit the number for Jones's floor.

"So um… does he rent or own his apartment?"

"He owns it," Emma replied quietly, because she knew what that would imply.

"Fuck me! How rich is this guy?"

"I dunno, Ruby. I've never asked to see his bank balance before," she snapped back. The closer the elevator got to their final destination, the more Emma's anxiety began to rise. She couldn't remember seeing anything around the home that would tell her friend exactly who her boyfriend was. But Jones hadn't finished unpacking the last time she'd been there, so there was a strong possibility that he could have added something to the space.

When the elevator finally swayed to a stop, Emma took a deep breath before stepping out and leading the way down to Killian's front door. Ruby followed quietly behind her friend, her eyes eagerly taking in the plush carpets and paintings hanging on the walls. The hallways in Killian's building were much nicer than any room in their own apartment was.

Ruby watched on curiously as her friend fished a small keychain shaped like the Empire State Building from her bag, with one silver key attached to it. Emma slipped the key into the lock and gave it a confident twist, but hesitated for a moment before finally pushing the door open.

"Don't break anything," she warned, reaching back for the handle of her suitcase so that she could pull it over the threshold and down the hall.

Ruby followed her friend into the apartment, closing the door softly behind the two of them. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large windows at the end of the hallway, looking out over the nicer part of the city.

"Holy fuck," she cursed when they stepped into the main living space. "This place is incredible."

"Yeah," Emma chuckled, but it wasn't the decor that she loved about Jones's home. It was the memories they had already managed to create inside of the space.

Her eyes briefly flicked over the walls and counters, checking to make sure that there was nothing out of place before they landed on the folded piece of paper on the dining table. Emma abandoned her case in the middle of the room and headed straight for it.

"Awww, did he leave you a love note?" Ruby teased, as she watched her friend reach for the sheet of paper with her name written elegantly across the front of it.

"Shut up," the other woman threw back, her cheeks darkening with her blush.

Ruby stepped back to give Emma some privacy and turned her attention to the home they were stood inside. The color scheme seemed to be an incredibly manly black and white. It wasn't really her taste, Ruby preferred things that were more bright and colorful, but it was certainly sophisticated and elegant.

"I'm just gonna go and put this stuff away," Emma called out, slipping her boyfriend's note into her bag before she reached for her case once more. "Don't go snooping around."

"I won't," Ruby assured her, but she was already distracted by the refrigerator in the kitchen. There appeared to be a couple of items pinned to the front of it, which seemed a little out of place given the lack of personal touches she'd found so far in the apartment. As soon as she approached the appliance, Ruby realized what they were. Apparently, Emma's boyfriend did like showing off personal photographs, but instead of framing them like most normal people would, he'd pinned them to the front of his fridge.

Ruby cast a quick look around herself at the empty space behind her before taking the few steps forward she needed to see the images more clearly. She had selfishly been hoping that the pictures would at least include the illusive man himself, so she could finally see just how hot this guy was for herself. But they weren't pictures of him – they were both of Emma.

The first looked to have been taken the night of her friend's big theatre trip, as Ruby recognized the dress that she was wearing. Emma was reclining against a balcony with the stage just visible behind her, to the left. Her friend had clearly posed for the image as she was looking straight at the camera, wearing a bright and beautiful smile. But there was no trace of her mystery man to be seen, leaving Ruby to assume that he had been the one to take the picture.

It took her a moment longer to connect the image with the magnet that he'd used to hold it in place. It was one advertising the show they'd been to see that evening, and it was a surprisingly sweet gesture.

The next picture was a little different. Ruby assumed the head of dark hair turned into her friend's neck was that of her boyfriend, but infuriatingly, she couldn't see any part of his face. Emma's own was crinkled with her laughter, suggesting that the picture had been taken during a light-hearted moment. And the little Empire State Building magnet that held it in place told her that it had been taken on their most recent date.

It also looked a lot like the new keychain her best friend now owned.

"Are you ready to go?" Emma called out, startling Ruby so much that she actually jumped with her surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. I was uh… I was just looking at the pictures."

"What pictures?" Emma asked suspiciously, as she took a few steps closer to the kitchen.

Ruby stepped to one side and then pointed to the images that had been pinned to the front of the fridge. "You haven't seen them before?"

"Clearly not," Emma snarked, marching her way around the counter so that she could look them over. As soon as she realized that it was her face featured predominantly in each one she flushed once again, and Ruby chuckled a little at it.

"It's rather sweet," she offered, because even if they hadn't gotten her any closer to identifying Emma's boyfriend, they had at least shown Ruby just how much he cared for her friend.

"Yeah, well… he's a sweet guy."

"He certainly seems that way." Ruby followed as Emma made her way back around the kitchen counter and down the hall, headed for the front door once again before she said, "I'm glad you have someone like that in your life, Ems."

Emma waited until they were both back outside and she had the door securely locked behind herself before she turned to offer her friend a small, shy smile. "Thanks, Ruby. I just hope you like him."

Ruby didn't need to say that she was sure she would. Emma knew that anyone who made her happy would be warmly embraced by her best friend the moment they met. And as the two women made their way to campus that morning, she began to wonder why she'd waited so long to introduce Jones to her friends.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	41. Chapter 40

Emma would be lying if she said she wasn't a little distracted that day, but she was pretty sure she was hiding it well.

After their stop at Jones's place that morning, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the note he'd left for her. At first, it had seemed completely innocuous. He'd simply told her that he'd made some space in his room for her clothes. But when she'd rolled her case down the hall and into the master bedroom, the full implication of his words became clear. Opposite the dresser containing all of his own shirts and sweaters now sat an identical piece of furniture that was completely empty. Jones hadn't just made space for Emma's stuff, he'd purposely purchased a new piece of furniture for her to keep it in! And Emma wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.

A part of her was worried that their relationship was moving too fast too soon. Sure, they'd been dating for a few months now and they'd known each other for longer. But wasn't it too soon to be encouraging your girlfriend to start moving her stuff in? Yet, another part of her was flattered that he'd gone to so much trouble to make her feel wanted and welcome in his home. Nobody had ever done that for her before.

"Ems, do you wanna head to the library for a bit?" Ruby asked, startling her out of her musings. Emma hadn't realized that her friends had stopped moving, clearly waiting on her input into their discussion.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me," she agreed, fishing her phone from her pocket. While they had a short break between classes she'd hoped to speak with Jones to see what time he'd be back that afternoon. But a quick glance at her display showed no new messages since that morning, which meant he was probably still busy with his publisher.

"I really need to go over legal ethics at some point," Ruby sighed, as the small group took their places around one of their favorite tables and began unpacking their books. "Mrs. West should be banned from teaching. That woman is _so_ dull."

"I uh… I have some stuff that you might find more interesting," Emma offered, flicking through the notes she'd made on the subject before she turned the book around and slid it over to her friend's side of the table. "There are some papers in there too," she told Ruby, as she reached for the book she had made dedicated to constitutional law. It was one of her weakest subjects, so Emma had wanted to dedicate a little extra time to it, in the hopes that it would sink in before her exams.

"Where the fuck did you find all of this?" Ruby whispered harshly.

"Huh?"

"This stuff on legal ethics is a goldmine, Ems. Where did you find it, because I know Mrs. West never taught this stuff?"

"Oh, I uh…" for a brief moment Emma wondered how much to tell her friend. It was the memories of how supportive Ruby had been over the last few days that finally drove her to reveal the truth. "Dr. Jones sent them to me after his lecture."

"Dr. Jones? As in the hot guy who stood in for Midas that one time? How the hell did you get these from him?"

"He offered to send me some of the stuff that he found inspirational when he was at college," Emma explained, with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I wasn't gonna turn that down."

"And here was me thinking that you only wanted to speak with him to hear that accent up close and in person," Ruby teased, before turning her attention back to the pieces of work that Emma had slipped into her notes.

"Well… the accent definitely helps."

Ruby's sharp bark of laughter was far too loud for the library and earned her a number of glares and shushes from the people around them.

But it was totally worth it.

* * *

When they were finally dismissed from their last class of the day, Emma felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She'd spent a good portion of the afternoon covering subjects that she felt were her weakest topics, and getting advice from her tutors on how to tackle them. While she hadn't been able to dedicate a lot of time to each one, she already felt better about the parts of the units she'd covered that day, than she had when she'd woken up that morning.

"I'm guessing you're heading back to Killian's for Midas's free period," Ruby sighed, as the two women fought their way through the crowds of students headed to their next class or lecture.

"Yeah. I don't think he's expecting me yet so I was hoping to surprise him. If he's home, that is." Emma had only received a couple of messages from her boyfriend all day, which was odd for Jones. But she assumed that his meeting with his publisher was keeping him busy.

"If he's not… it could always be a sexy surprise," her friend teased, wiggling her brows playfully.

"Yeah… no." Emma had to admit the thought had crossed her mind. But she wasn't sure she was ready to strip herself down to her underwear and lounge around Jones's bedroom when she could use the time far more productively for her revision.

"Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it," Ruby chuckled, before pulling her friend in for a tight hug. "Have a great weekend, Ems."

"Thanks. You too. I'll text you and let you know when I'll be back," she promised.

"You'd better," was all Ruby said, as she pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek and then released her.

Ruby waited until Emma had disappeared into the crowd of stressed students before she turned on her heels to head for the café on site. She needed a small break from revision before she headed back to the library - and much more caffeine to make it through the rest of the day.

* * *

The walk to Jones's place was an easy one for Emma. The sun was shining in New York City, and instead of listening to one of her lectures as she had been doing all week, she decided that the beautiful weather called for her favorite playlist.

When she arrived at the stunning building her boyfriend lived inside of, Emma flashed the security guard a small smile on her way through the lobby and back to the elevators, before joining a middle-aged man for the short ride up to Jones's floor.

She wasn't overly surprised to find the apartment still and silent when she let herself into it. Jones had warned her that his meeting could become an all-day thing, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little disappointed that he wasn't there. She'd been looking forward to some quality time with her boyfriend all day.

Having the apartment to herself did give Emma the chance to explore it a little more. Jones had always been clear that no room was off limits, but she had never really felt comfortable browsing them all with him watching her. So after hanging up her bag and jacket, and kicking off her shoes, Emma headed through the door to her left and into his office.

Jones had clearly spent some time in the room since she'd last visited, as it was now completely free of boxes. There were diplomas and awards hung on the wall opposite his desk, showing off all of the great achievements her boyfriend had made so far in his life. The wall behind the desk was completely covered in legal texts, and Emma wasn't ashamed to admit that she probably spent far too long browsing the spines of each and every one.

She was tempted to grab her bag and set herself up there for the afternoon to revise when something on the desk caught her attention. Jones had all of the expected items on it – a powerful Mac computer, a note pad, and a pot containing pens and pencils from hotels and conference centers all around the world. But next to that pot of pens was a series of framed pictures that drew her attention their way.

The family picture was easy enough to make out. A dark-haired man and woman stood behind two dark-haired, blue-eyed little boys. The family resemblance between all four was clear to see, but Emma's heart broke a little at how old the picture was. Jones had probably only just started school when it had been taken.

 _Was this the last time the family had all been pictured together?_

Next to that was a picture of Jones with David and his wife, on their wedding day. Both men looked younger and more carefree as they sandwiched the smaller woman between them and smiled widely for the camera. For a brief moment, as she looked down at that picture, Emma hated that her presence in Jones's life had caused such a rift between the two friends. She only hoped that David could get over their age difference soon, because she was pretty sure that she was in too deep with Jones now to ever want to give him up.

Shaking her head slightly to clear it of the negative thoughts that had started developing, Emma reached for the last frame on the desk. She wasn't surprised to see it filled with a picture of the two of them, given the images that Jones had pinned to his fridge, but she was pleasantly surprised by his choice of photograph. She'd been sure he'd opt for one that had been taken on one of their date nights, but instead, Jones had chosen the very first picture he'd taken of the two of them together.

Emma remembered the moment well. They'd been spread out over the blanket Jones had packed for their picnic, just enjoying the nice weather and watching the clouds roll across the sky above them. They'd ended up gravitating towards each other, and soft pecks had quickly transformed into something hungrier. When they'd pulled apart to catch their breath, Jones had kept Emma tucked into his side. He'd taken the pictures a little while after that - when Emma's hair had still been messy from his fingers and her lips a little swollen from his kisses. He'd told her that she'd never looked more beautiful and Emma had been sure he was lying. But looking down at the picture in her hands, she thought she could see what Jones had seen that day. Because the way he was looking at her, like there was nobody and nothing more important than she was, left Emma feeling like the most beautiful woman in the world.

After a moment longer lost inside her own mind, she set the picture back down on the desk before making her way out of the room and through to the kitchen. While Jones was still busy in the city, she wanted to squeeze in some more revision, so they could hopefully make the most of their night together. And that wasn't going to happen if she spent all day reminiscing about the way he made her feel.

* * *

Killian was getting frustrated. What had been sold to him as a quick meeting to discuss the progress of his book and the opportunity for a new contract had quickly turned into a lunch date with his publisher, who seemed to be more interested in seeking free legal advice from him than anything else.

To make matters worse, his messages to Emma had trailed off as the day had gone on, and his last one, letting her know that he wouldn't be home until that evening, had gone completely unanswered. Not that he could blame her. He knew they would only have a limited amount of time together that weekend, and now he was limiting that time further. He just hoped that when he got back to his apartment she'd still be there waiting for him so that he could apologize.

When his publisher finally seemed to realize just how late it was, Killian could have cheered with the relief he felt flowing through his veins.

"Well, I think that's all we need from you right now, Killian. I'll get these contracts filed and you can go back and finish work on that last chapter," Mendel chuckled, as he stood up to offer Killian his hand. "It was good seeing you again. Make sure you drop by the office more often now that you're back in the city. It's been too long since we last caught up."

"I will do," Killian assured him. Mendel wasn't one of his closest friends, but he was a nice enough guy that Killian enjoyed spending time with him. (When he didn't have Emma Swan waiting at home for him.) "Thanks for everything, Greg. I'll be in touch soon."

The two men nodded at each other in understanding before he turned and headed for the door. Three people stopped him on his way out of the building, but Killian was still able to make it back to his car before the time on the dash ticked over to five _pm_.

"Come on, come on, come on," he chanted, as he pulled out his phone and hit dial on Emma's number. When her voicemail kicked in he wanted to slap himself, but instead settled for leaving her a message. Hopefully she was just busy and would pick it up while he was on the road. "Emma, it's me – Killian… uh, Jones. I uh… I'm sorry that I'm not there with you yet. I've just left my publisher's office and I'm on my way home now. I hope you're still there, waiting for me. And I _really_ hope that you're not too mad at me. I love you, Sweetheart. I'll see you real soon."

The moment he disconnected the call Killian tossed his phone down onto the passenger's seat and buckled his safety belt before starting the engine. The drive back to his apartment complex took longer that evening than it had that morning. Every time he stopped at a light his frustration levels only seem to grow, as a glance at his phone showed him there were no new messages from Emma.

When he finally pulled into his parking space, Killian couldn't climb out of his car fast enough. He wasn't even ashamed of the way he jogged through the parking garage and over to the elevators. All the way up to his floor, Killian's foot bounced restlessly against the plush carpet as his fingers tapped out a nonsensical pattern on the handrail. If any of his neighbors had been in the carriage at that time they'd have taken an instant dislike to the man for his many annoying ticks. But Killian was lucky enough to have it all to himself.

The moment the elevator rocked to a gentle stop he was stood as close to the doors as humanly possible, urging them to open faster so he could _finally_ get back to the woman he loved.

"Emma?" he called out, as the door to his apartment swung open and Killian wrenched his key from the lock. "Sweetheart, are you here?"

When no reply came his stomach dropped with his disappointment. She'd given up waiting for him and gone home, just as he'd expected her to do.

Only, when he finally made it down the hall, Killian frozen in his tracks at the sight before him.

"Emma," he breathed out softly, as he let his eyes drink in her form.

She'd set herself up around his table again, with her laptop off to one side, a couple of textbooks to the other, and three large binders directly in front of her. She appeared to be making flashcards in brightly colored designs, but paused every now and then to tap her pen against her lower lip in time to the beat of whatever song she was listening to.

She looked so beautiful at that moment that Killian could have stood and watched her all evening.

His girlfriend must have sensed another presence in the room, however, as her eyes snapped up to meet his and she jumped in her seat before bringing a hand up to pull out her earbuds.

"Jesus, Jones. Next time make some noise," she chuckled awkwardly.

"I did call your name a few times. You might hear me a little better next time if you turn the music down," he chided playfully.

"Yes, Grandpa." Emma reached out to hit a button on her laptop, plunging the apartment into silence before she unfolded herself from the seat. Jones met her halfway around the table, tugging her into his arms as she stretched up to bring their lips together.

That first kiss was like a sigh of relief for them both as they melted into each other's arms. It had been a long day of waiting for this moment, and it certainly didn't disappoint either of them.

Jones pulled back before Emma could deepen their kiss, pressing his lips to the tip of her nose as he dropped his forehead down to rest against her own. "I'm sorry for pissing you off earlier," he whispered softly, before sealing his apology with a brush of his lips to hers.

"You didn't piss me off." Emma pulled back to meet his eyes as her confusion creased her brow.

"You weren't answering any of my calls or messages."

"Oh shit," she cursed. She ducked out of his embrace and rounded the table once more, pushing aside sheets of paper and notecards until she found her phone. "Dead," Emma declared, holding it up for her boyfriend to see. "I'm so sorry. I guess I got carried away with all of this and forgot to plug it in to charge."

Killian had the phone out of his girlfriend's hand and tossed back down on top of her notes before she could even protest. His mind hadn't considered the possibility that her phone had died on her. He'd just been so worried about screwing up the best thing in his life right then, that he'd immediately jumped to the worst possible scenario. The relief he felt at that moment, knowing that things between them were still good, left him feeling almost giddy and light-headed.

"How much more do you have to do here?" he asked, pulling her back into his arms to begin teasing his lips down the side of her neck.

"I uh… I could use a break," she sighed, as she melted further into his arms and tilted her head to give him better access to her clavicle.

Jones reached down to wrap his hands around her thighs, giving them both a gentle tug and Emma didn't hesitate to push herself up and into his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist, her ankles crossing behind his back, as his hands settled under her ass.

"I think I have just the plan to take your mind off your work," he told her, pulling back to watch where he was going. He moved them both carefully around the table so that they wouldn't end up injuring each other before heading down the corridor to his bedroom.

"Eh, I dunno," Emma teased. "I am _very_ engrossed in my work right now. It's gonna take something impressive to pull my mind away from the law."

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. My girlfriend tells me that what I have in mind is _very_ impressive."

Emma's giggles sounded almost musical as Killian dropped her down onto his bed and began unbuttoning his shirt as fast as he could.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	42. Chapter 41

"I'm gonna be late for work if you keep that up," Emma chuckled. "You're supposed to be washing my back, Jones."

"It's not terribly dirty," he mumbled against her damp skin, as he brushed another kiss just above the small dimples of her lower back. "We should really dirty it up a little before we think about scrubbing it clean."

"That's some nice logic there, Doctor Jones. Did that win you many debates in college?"

"I won my fair share."

Emma could practically feel his smirk against her back as his lips brushed over another patch of skin that had previously been neglected.

"But I'm more interested in knowing if it's won me _this_ debate, Miss. Swan?"

She really hated that what she was about to tell him would only feed his ego, but Emma didn't feel comfortable lying to her boyfriend, even about something that small. So she turned in his embrace to take hold of his upper arms and pulled him back to his full height. Emma waited until his eyes met hers before she told him, "You'd won this debate the moment you joined me in here this morning."

"That's good to know."

Jones's arms slid easily around her waist to draw her in close, and Emma gave up the pretense of caring about being late for work as she pushed herself onto her toes to meet his lips with hers.

Even though he knew that she would need to be dressed and out of his apartment in a little over an hour, Killian kept their kisses soft and gentle. There were light brushes of lips and teasing flicks of tongues that left them both eager for more. When his hands slid down her back to grasp her thighs, Emma needed no more encouragement to wrap her legs around his waist as he tugged her up and into his arms. But she was a little surprised when Jones started to move them out of the shower, so she broke their kiss to ask, "Not here?"

"Not here," he agreed, walking them through to the master bedroom. Killian dropped her gracefully down onto the rumpled sheets of the bed before he pulled himself up to join her.

"Everything's gonna get wet," she protested weakly, but it didn't stop her from tightening her legs around his hips when he crawled up and over her body.

"I'll change the sheets when you're gone," was all he mumbled, before he dipped his head to catch her lips with his own.

When he pushed his way into her that morning it was with an ease that only ever came from practice, and the movement left Emma gasping with pleasure as her grip on his shoulders tightened almost painfully. Killian laced the fingers of his left hand with her right and brought them up to rest beside her head, while he took his time over each of his thrusts.

The night before had been rougher and much more passionate, mainly fuelled by the lingering worry that came from being unable to get in touch with his girlfriend during the afternoon. So that morning, even with Emma's work deadline rapidly approaching, Killian wanted to take his time. He wanted Emma to know just how much he loved her with every single move he made. And he selfishly wanted to send her to work that morning with a pleasant ache between her thighs, that would have her thinking of him with every step she took.

When Emma's body began writhing against his, her little moans and gasps of pleasure turning to needy pants and desperate whines for more, Killian slid his free hand between the two of them to begin teasing over her clit.

"God, you're so beautiful like this, Emma. Come for me," he encouraged, before ducking his head to swallow her sounds of pleasure with his lips, as she came with a cry of his name.

Killian finished not long after she did, spilling inside of his girlfriend in hot, wet pulses that had her legs trembling with aftershocks. He used his shirt from the night before to gently clean her down and then pulled himself up the bed to wrap her in his arms.

"What time is it?" Emma mumbled, tilting her head back to brush a kiss over the soft skin of his neck.

"A little past seven. You have a couple of minutes before we really need to move."

Emma hummed her agreement as she let herself melt into his embrace. She'd skip blow-drying her hair that morning if it meant spending the extra time in her boyfriend's embrace.

* * *

"Morning, Gloria."

"Good morning, Sweetheart. How's your week been?"

Emma took a moment to hang away her bag and jacket safely before she grabbed an apron and made her way back out to the front of the store to see her friend. "It's been good. Mostly just full of studying, but at least there hasn't been any added drama this week."

"I'm happy to hear that. And how is Doctor Jones? Was that his car I saw you climbing out of just now?"

Emma blushed a little as she busied herself with gathering up a few baking trays to move back through to the kitchen. "Yes. I'm uh… I'm spending the weekend at his place."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," her friend chuckled. "I'd be spending every free moment of my day with my husband if he looked as good as that man does. Just make sure you don't allow him to distract you too much while you're studying."

"I don't think Jones would let me. He's great in that respect. It's uh… it's nice not having to worry about what he thinks of me for refusing a date to study, you know?"

"I do. And I'm so pleased that you've finally found someone worthy of your time, Sweetheart. Those others didn't deserve what you gave them if they couldn't understand how important your schoolwork is to you."

Emma offered her friend a small smile of gratitude at her words before she headed back to the kitchen to stack the dishwasher and check on the ovens. When she returned, Gloria was busy with a couple of customers, so the two women worked in relative silence while they finished each of their morning routines.

It was only when the small shop was empty once again that Gloria propped her hands on her hips and turned to ask, "So, when are you planning to introduce him to your friends?"

"Uh… soon?" Emma wasn't entirely sure why that had come out as a question, but judging by the way Gloria's brow climbed her forehead she'd heard it too. "Soon! I just… I'm really enjoying things the way they are right now, Gloria. I don't wanna do anything to ruin that. And while I know that Ruby's not likely to do so, I can't shake this feeling that _something_ will."

"Oh, Sweetheart," she sighed, taking a step forward so that she could reach out and rest her hands on the young woman's shoulders. "That's your past talking. And I get it, you have every right to want to protect the good things in your life, given what you've been through. But the longer you leave this, the more likely you are to cause problems for yourself. Ruby knows you well and she knows to be patient with you. But there will come a time where she runs out of that patience and she starts to wonder why you're so determined to hide this from her. Don't let your relationship with Doctor Jones ruin the friendships that you've already made," she cautioned.

"I'll tell her when we get back from Vegas," Emma promised. "I'll talk to Jones and ask him to make us a reservation somewhere. We can tell her everything together, over a nice steak dinner. The last thing I wanna do is lose her. I just… I don't wanna lose him either."

Gloria nodded her head in understanding and Emma took that to mean that her friend approved of her plan, which made her feel a little better about it. But before anything else could be said, the tinkle of the bell above the door pulled their focus away from each other. A small group of people were busy pushing their way into the shop and out of the rain, shattering the silence of the moment. Gloria gave Emma's shoulders a gentle squeeze before she released her grip on her friend and headed for the kitchen while Emma fixed on the smile she always wore for greeting her customers.

"Hey, Guys. What can I get you this morning?"

* * *

Jones arrived at his usual time that afternoon, and after pressing a sweet kiss to his girlfriend's lips he made himself comfortable in his normal seat in the café.

Emma chuckled a little when she saw Gloria join the man for her lunch break. The two looked like such a mismatched pair with Jones's notebooks and laptop spread out around him, while Gloria's knitting dropped down into her lap. But every time she passed by their table they were in the middle of a deep discussion about something different that had been in the news that week. It left Emma wondering just how often her friend had shared a lunch break with Jones while she had been busy with school.

It wasn't long after Gloria had finished with her break and returned to her duties when Jones disappeared from the café, leaving his laptop and notes on the table he'd been occupying. Emma had assumed that her boyfriend was simply using the restroom, but when he returned a little later with a paper bag in his hands and the delicious smell of tomatoes and garlic following him, she realized that he'd left to buy them both some lunch.

"You didn't need to do this," she told him, as her eyes took in the Italian spread that he was busy setting out across the table.

"I assumed that you wouldn't want to go out for lunch today, that you'd rather stay here and read through some of your revision notes. So I thought I'd bring lunch to you," Jones explained. "How's your day going?"

"It's fine. A little busy, thanks to the rain, but it's nothing we can't handle. How about yours?"

"It's not been terribly exciting," he confessed. "I'm missing my gorgeous girlfriend." Killian wiggled his brows in Emma's direction and smiled at the way it caused a beautiful blush to color her cheeks. "I uh… I had a chance to look through that paper you left me this morning," he added, as he reached into the bag sat on the chair beside his own to pull out a slim file that he then passed over to her.

When they'd been talking over dinner the night before, Emma had mentioned finally turning in work for the new professor at her school, and how she felt like he still didn't like her. She'd been confident that she'd managed to deliver what her professor had asked for, but Killian had still wanted to see the piece for himself.

He'd printed her paper that morning while he was driving her to work. And after taking an hour to clean his apartment and change the sheets on his bed, Killian had sat down with a mug of coffee and a red pen to read it through. He was pretty sure that with every word he read, he'd fallen a little bit more in love with Emma Swan. Her arguments on the complexity of copyright laws were not only well-formed but also well-articulated, and she had provided plenty of evidence to back them up with.

But more importantly than that, he was happy to note that his relationship with her hadn't completely blinded him to any imperfections in the piece. Killian knew that it wasn't a perfect paper. There were a couple of occasions where Emma could have cited a few more sources to better reaffirm the point she had been making, and one where he would have completely disagreed with her choice of case law. But all of that being said, it was still an incredible essay for a person of her age, and one that deserved at least a seventy-eight in his humble opinion.

"Did you hate it?" she worried.

"Not at all. I loved it. There are a couple of things I'd have done differently and some places where I'd have added a little more detail. But I have fifteen years more experience in this field than you do, Emma. So don't take that personally. That being said, if this professor does have something against you and he scores you anything lower than a seventy-eight, then let me know. I have some leverage over at the university. I can use that to pull some strings and get the piece remarked for you if necessary."

"Thanks. But uh… you don't need to do that, Jones. If you truly think he's marked it low when I get it back, then I can take it to Midas and see if he'll do anything for me."

Emma appreciated Jones's offer to step in, but she knew she'd never be taken seriously in the legal world if she let her boyfriend constantly defend her honor. So she made herself a silent promise that afternoon. While she was more than happy to accept Jones's advice and guidance throughout the rest of her studies, she wouldn't allow him to pull the kind of strings for her that would give her an unfair advantage over her peers. Emma wanted to graduate knowing that she'd been the one to put in the effort to get the grades she deserved, not that she'd graduated with higher marks because of who she was sleeping with and the contacts he had.

"Now, aside from reading my work all day, what else have you been doing?" she asked, as she peeled the lid off the takeaway container sat in front of her and then groaned a little at the wonderful scent that rose up from it. Jones had recalled her order perfectly from their first date, and Emma loved him a little more for the sweetness of his simple gesture.

* * *

Killian said goodbye to his girlfriend at the usual time with another sweet kiss and a promise to pick her up when she finished her shift. While he would have loved to have spent the day in the shop, keeping her some company, he didn't want to be a distraction from her work. So instead, he kept himself busy with writing the rest of his address for the conference in Vegas the following weekend and trying to work out where to take his girlfriend that evening.

If Emma agreed, he wanted to get her out of the apartment, even if it was only for an hour or two. He knew that she'd been spending every waking moment in the library, or with her head buried in a book that week, to prepare for her upcoming finals. And while he fully supported everything that she was doing, Killian was also happy to provide her with a small break every now and then if she needed it.

However, finding something to do in the city that wouldn't take all evening wasn't proving easy. Even dining out could take hours, depending upon which restaurant he chose and the time it took to get there. But ordering in didn't feel special enough, given that they'd done the same thing the night before.

It took him almost two hours of searching to find a small cinema not far from the apartment that offered a slightly more luxurious experience for their clients. Instead of showing the newest and biggest blockbusters, the company preferred to reshow old classics, including a few of Emma's favorite films. It's website boasted leather sofas for a more intimate viewing experience, and a waitstaff to bring beverages and finger foods out to patrons during the movie. It wasn't exactly the most unique of dates he'd planned, but Killian hoped it would be enough to show Emma how much he cared for her.

He was just reaching for his keys to head out and pick up his girlfriend from work when the rarely used landline began to ring. Killian contemplated ignoring the call and leaving the answering machine to kick in, but he had a few minutes to play with, so he swapped his keys for the handset on the kitchen counter.

"Doctor Jones," he greeted, as he answered the call.

"Killian, it's George. How are you doing?"

Killian frowned a little as his friend's voice rang out over the line. Emma had told him that George Midas would be away all week due to a personal emergency. And while he would always class the man as a friend, he wouldn't say they were close enough for George to consider calling him for advice or support during such a difficult time in his life.

"I'm good, thanks. How about you?"

"Not too bad, thank you. My mother took a bit of a tumble last week, so I've been looking after her until space opens up at the retirement village that she's chosen. But aside from the broken leg, she seems to be in good spirits."

"I'm glad to hear that," Killian offered, because he knew how close George and his mother had been when the man was younger, and he also knew how difficult it was for anyone to lose a parent. "Be sure to let me know if there's anything you both need."

"Thank you, Killian. I will do. I'm uh… I'm actually calling with some bad news, I'm afraid. Jennifer West passed away last night in her sleep."

"Shit!"

Killian had been taught by Mrs. West decades ago when he'd first come to the States as part of his studies. While she hadn't been his favorite teacher by any stretch of the imagination, she had become something of a professional friend in the years that followed his graduation. Killian was sad to hear of her passing. The legal ethics community would certainly miss her.

"Her son is busy making arrangements for the funeral now, so I'll be sure to pass those along when I have more information," George continued, and Killian nodded his head before offering the man a thanks. "But there is one small upside to all of this. The university will be looking to fill her position sooner than planned, and you're the obvious choice for that role."

"Shit!" Killian cursed again. "Won't they um… won't they want to wait until the start of the new year? Surely that makes more sense? After all, there are only a few more weeks to go."

"We've still got to get the students through their finals for this year. The department will need someone to oversee the legal ethics examinations. You won't need to worry about lesson planning or anything like that, Killian. The students have had all of their content delivered to them now. They can use her classes for revision and free study periods."

"That's not… I'm uh… I just have a couple of things I've already committed myself to over the next few months," Killian lied, as his mind began racing.

"Oh, of course you have. I uh… I guess the university can find someone else to oversee those exams," Midas chuckled. "Worst case scenario, they'll just get one of us to do it. But you really need to hurry up and sign that employment contract, Killian. The department chair's getting a little antsy now. He was talking about re-advertising the position last week."

"Yeah. Yeah, I will. I just need to sort a few things before I do," Killian assured him. "I uh… I have to run now, George. I've got somewhere to be on the hour. But I'll be in touch soon."

"Of course. Don't let me keep you. I know how busy and in-demand you are," the other man chuckled. "Enjoy your weekend, Killian."

"You too. And all the best to your mam," he offered, before disconnecting the call and setting the phone back down into its cradle.

Killian took a moment just to replay the entire conversation over in his head once more before he turned and brought his fist down hard on the granite countertop. "Shit!"

Before Emma Swan had made her way into his life, Killian wouldn't have thought twice about signing that employment contract the moment he'd finished reading it. A steady job teaching legal ethics at one of the most prestigious universities in the world was everything he'd dreamed of when he'd decided to return to the States.

But now… everything was different.

The contract had sat on his desk unsigned for months, buried under piles of paperwork. Killian had told himself it was because he doubted that Jennifer would ever follow through with her decision to retire. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time she'd made plans to leave Columbia and had failed to follow through with them. But deep down, he knew that the real reason he hadn't yet signed that contract had absolutely nothing to do with Jennifer's ability to avoid her retirement, and everything to do with a certain young woman who would become his student the moment he made his mark on that page.

Jennifer's unexpected passing had left Killian in a difficult position. He could no longer sweet-talk the older woman into remaining on staff for _just one more year_ , so that his girlfriend would have time to graduate from law school before he became a professor in her department. He would be expected to fill Jennifer's position right away, and if he didn't, many other academics from all over the world would fight for the place. Killian doubted another would ever become available at Columbia during his lifetime if he turned this one down.

But if he took the position now, it would mean ending his relationship with Emma. And Killian's wasn't sure his heart could take that kind of battering again.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	43. Chapter 42

"So, are you gonna tell me what's wrong or am I just gonna have to start throwing guesses at you?" Emma asked, as she allowed her boyfriend to slide the jacket she was wearing down her arms before she turned to level him with a firm stare.

It hadn't taken her long to work out that something was wrong. While Jones had been his usual sweet self from the moment he'd arrived at the coffee shop to pick her up, Emma hadn't missed his far-off stares or the way in which he seemed to zone out as she went about her closedown routine. At first, she'd written it off as paranoia. But the painfully awkward drive back to his apartment was all the confirmation she needed to know that something had happened since she'd last seen him.

Jones seemed to be doing his best to avoid her gaze at that moment, as he busied himself with hanging away their coats. Emma folded her arms over her chest and watched as he stared at the black leather of his own, and the way that it hung next to the smaller faux leather of her jacket, before he finally turned around to face her.

"I have something that I need to discuss with you," he began carefully. "But I'm not sure that now is the right time to do so."

When Emma opened her mouth to protest, Jones held up a hand to stop her as the look behind his eyes implored her to hear him out.

"You have exams coming up," he pointed out. " _Important_ exams, Emma. Exams that need to be your main priority. The last thing I want to do right now is distract you from preparing for those. Especially when I don't have all of the facts that I need, to know how to handle this situation."

"There's no way that I'm gonna be able to focus on those exams knowing that you're keeping something from me." Emma knew that until Jones explained what was going on, her mind would race with any and every possible situation it could come up with, to explain why he'd been acting the way he had all evening. She'd already considered the possibilities that David had said something insulting to his friend again, or that Jones's book deal had fallen through. Maybe someone was trying to sue him for something? Or maybe a long-forgotten girlfriend had tracked him down to tell him that he was a father? The possibilities were truly endless, and each scenario she came up with seemed to be worse than the last.

"If you don't tell me, I'm just gonna assume the worst," she pointed out. "I know I probably sound like a really clingy girlfriend right now, but I already had myself convinced on the drive home that you were gonna break up with me. So please, Killian, if you truly don't want to interfere with my exam prep, _just_ _tell me_."

Jones sighed heavily as he scrubbed a hand over his face. He was clearly torn on what to do, but the look of complete devastation on Emma's features had him reaching for her hand to guide her through to the lounge. He kept his grip on her tight as they sat down together, facing each other, and took a moment just to center himself while he rubbed his thumb over the back of her knuckles.

"I'm not breaking up with you," he assured her, leaning in to brush away one of the tears that had fallen with his free hand, as the other continued to sweep reassuring patterns over her knuckles with his thumb. "When I came back to New York, it was because I intended to settle down here. I had been offered a job and while the details were still up-in-the-air, I knew that eventually, it would be mine. Then you came along with your wonderful compliments about my lecture and your burning desire to learn more. And now… everything's changed."

It took a moment for Emma's mind to slot together the pieces of the puzzle that Jones had given her, and when she did, she felt like all of the wind had been punched out of her lungs. "Your job's at Columbia."

"Yes," he whispered. "They asked me to take over for Jennifer White when she retired, and I naively thought that I could convince her to stay on for another year when we started dating - just until you'd graduated. But… Midas called while you were at work. Jennifer passed away last night in her sleep. The university's expecting me to step up and fill her position next year."

Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at that moment. Of course she'd finally find someone that she loved, someone that she trusted, only for their careers to stand in the way of them being together. She should have known that what she had with Jones was too good to be true. Nothing in her life ever worked out that well.

"So we have to break up," she stated. It wasn't a question. Everyone knew that students couldn't be involved with their professors. It was the first thing you ever learned about life at college. And as much as they loved each other, she knew that their relationship would never survive if they ended up sacrificing all they'd worked hard for, just to be together.

"No," he protested fiercely. "No, Emma. I won't… I _can't_ lose you. Not now. There _has_ to be something we can do. I um… I need to talk to my lawyer on Monday morning. I'll ask him to look into it for me. There's a chance that if I disclose our relationship to the university _before_ I sign my employment contract, then we can continue dating and neither of us will be breaking any rules. I just won't be allowed to participate in any of your learning."

"And if we can't?"

"Then I simply won't take the job."

"You can't do that," she protested, pushing herself to her feet. Her blood was boiling with a kind of nervous energy that she hadn't felt in years, and pacing seemed like a good way to try and work it out of her system. "It's _Columbia!_ You can't turn down that job, Killian. This is everything you've always wanted."

"I can and I will," he declared, as he stood up and reached for her hands to stop her from moving. "Other jobs will come along, Emma. They always do. But there will _never_ be another you. That I know for certain."

"You can't… you can't just give that up for me, Killian. You can't. I'd never be able to live myself if you did."

"And do you think I'd be happy in that job, knowing that I'd sacrificed you for it?" he threw back at her. "When I lost Milah, I knew that the chances of finding someone else that I loved as much as I loved her would be difficult. And then you walked into my life. Finding love once is hard, Emma. Finding it twice is virtually impossible. I'm not willing to give that up now that I've found you. I won't."

Jones's eyes slid closed as he leaned forward to press his forehead against her own. His hands let go of hers and he brought them up to rest against the side of her neck, as he held his girlfriend's body close to his.

"Can we just… can we please just enjoy the time that we have together right now? At least until I've spoken to my lawyer. There's no point in making any rash decisions just yet. We have Vegas next weekend. And then all of summer before we need to decide what we're going to do. I'm not letting you go now, Emma. Not yet. Not ever."

Killian felt her nod against his head as she pushed up onto her toes to wrap her arms around his neck.

"I um… I found a theatre that we could go to this evening. It's showing some of the old classics that you love."

"I don't wanna go out tonight, Killian. I just wanna stay here. With you."

This time, it was his turn to nod as he pulled her in a little tighter. With everything that had been said that evening, locking themselves away in their own private bubble felt like the perfect way to end their night together. Killian needed to be close to Emma, to show her with his actions just how much he loved her and how much he needed her. He needed to be close to her so that he could reassure himself that she was real and that she wasn't going to leave him.

And Emma seemed to want him just as much as he wanted her.

"I love you, Sweetheart."

"I love you too," she whispered, before tilting her head slightly to brush the softest of kisses over his lips.

It wasn't enough, though. It was never enough when it came to Emma. Killian chased after her lips, his kisses were much firmer and much more demanding than hers had been. She'd ignited a fire inside of him that craved her touch and intimacy after all their talk of giving each other up. Killian knew that he wouldn't be satisfied that evening until he was moving inside of her, reassuring himself that she was still there and that she would still be in his arms when he woke the next morning.

Thankfully, Emma seemed to feel the same way as her fingers tangled in the hair at the back of his head to pull him into her, while she pushed herself closer.

Killian bit down softly on her lower lip before soothing the sting with his tongue, and Emma gasped out, "I need you."

"I need you too," he panted, bending down to pull her up and into his arms.

The moment Emma had her ankles locked behind his back, Killian dropped his hands down to cup her ass as he carried her through the hallway and into his bedroom. He dropped her carefully onto the fresh sheets of his bed and Emma pushed herself back until she was stretched out across them. Killian took a minute just to appreciate how beautiful she looked with her hair wild from his fingers; her cheeks flushed with her arousal; and her lips swollen from his kisses, before he crawled up and over her body, covering her small form with his much larger one.

Their kisses became softer when they were finally tangled together on the bed. More leisurely brushes of tongues and lips and less of the sharp nips with their teeth. Emma's hands clutched tightly to Killian's back and shoulders instead of slipping down to press against his ass. The urgency to lose their clothing had gone, and instead, they took their time undressing each other. With every new patch of skin that was revealed to them, hands and lips would worship the area before they began working on removing something else.

By the time they were both fully naked, Killian was painfully hard and thrusting lightly against Emma's thigh to try and relieve some of the tension that was being wound tighter in his gut, as she ground her hips up into his own.

When Emma began pushing gently against his shoulder, Killian ripped his lips away from hers, startled that he'd somehow crossed a line or managed to hurt her in some way. A quick scan of her face told him that nothing seemed to be wrong, but he held himself steady above her as he waited for her to speak.

"I want… can we uh… I want to try something new," she told him, her cheeks burning with her discomfort.

"Whatever you want, Love. You don't have to be embarrassed to ask me for that."

"I've never… I mean… I've tried, but I didn't like it. And he said I wasn't very good at it anyway. But I want to… with you."

Killian held Emma's gaze for the longest minute as he tried to work out what it was that she was asking for. It was only when her hand wrapped confidently around his cock and she licked her lower lip that he realized what she was implying.

"Of course, Love. But if you don't enjoy it we don't have to do this. I don't need oral sex to be happy with you."

"I didn't enjoy it with _him_ ," she stressed. "I think maybe I would with you, though? You're always so focused on me, Killian. On my pleasure. And tonight… tonight I wanna focus on you for just a bit. I _need_ to."

Killian nodded his head in understanding as he allowed Emma to push him onto his back. She started her exploration slowly, pressing soft kisses down his neck and over his chest, taking the time to pay special attention to his nipples when he sighed in pleasure at the way her thumbs brushed over each one.

Emma made her way further down his body, kissing around his ribs and over his hips, nipping at the flesh there softly with her teeth before soothing the sting with her tongue. With every move that she made, Killian found it harder and harder to draw air into his lungs. It wasn't the first time that he'd been on the receiving end of a blow job - but this felt different. Every move that Emma made was infused with the love they shared for each other, and it only seemed to heighten his pleasure at that moment.

When her hand finally wrapped around the base of his cock again, Killian stopped breathing altogether before the light brush of her lips over his sensitive head had him gasping in as much oxygen as he could get.

Her movements were soft and hesitant at first, a clear sign that she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, but that she wanted to learn. So Killian resisted the urge to bury his hands in her hair to help her set a pace, and instead, used his voice to tell her what he liked. Whispered words of encouragement and long moans of pleasure soon had Emma finding a rhythm that she felt comfortable with, as Killian slowly unraveled underneath her.

When it all became too much, he forced himself to push gently against her shoulder as he gasped out, "Stop… Emma… you need to stop."

"Am I not doing it right?" she worried.

"No… you are… _so right_. But I'm uh… I'm not as young as I used to be. So you might wanna stop that if you want to do anything else tonight."

Emma giggled a little in delight, and it was a truly wonderful sound after the heavy start to their evening. She leaned down to swipe her tongue over him one final time before Killian rolled her over to pin her body beneath his own.

"My turn," he whispered.

He dipped his head to brush a fierce kiss over her lips. One that told Emma just how hard he was going to fight for them and how much he needed her in his life, before he began moving his way down her body, pressing his lips to all of the spots that he knew would drive Emma crazy. He paid special attention to her nipples, drawing each of them into his mouth to roll his tongue around them as he sucked gently.

When Emma's hands came down to tug at his hair, Killian pulled back and began pressing kisses into the softness of her tummy and down over her hips and thighs.

"Killian, _please_ ," she begged, eager for some kind of touch where she needed it most.

While he continued his path with his lips across her inner thighs, Killian slid his hand up to find her already wet and eager for him. He brushed his fingertips back and forth over her heated flesh as he asked, "Did pleasing me do this to you, Sweetheart?"

Emma could only gasp and nod as he slipped his index finger into her.

"You make me feel this way too," he told her, suddenly needing his girlfriend to understand just what it was that he'd found with her and why he was so desperate to hang onto it. "Nobody else makes me feel the way that you do, Emma. Only you, Love. It's always going to be you."

"Killian, _please_ ," she begged again. Only this time, it was for something entirely different. The look burning behind her eyes told him all that he needed to know, so he pulled himself back up her body to drop another sweet kiss to her lips as he guided himself inside of her.

"Jesus, Emma." Being with her always felt just as unbelievably incredible as their first time had been, no matter how long had passed.

Killian kept his movements long and slow, drawing out the pleasure they both felt until they were quivering in each other's arms, desperate for that spark to ignite their fires. He came first, holding himself deep inside of Emma as his release took hold. And when he came back to himself, he dropped his hand down between them to rub firm circles around her clit until she arched her back and dug her nails into his shoulders while crying out his name in euphoria.

As Emma floated back down from her high, Killian gently pulled himself from her body and grabbed his undershirt to clean her up, before rolling onto his back and tugging her into his arms. It was only when her fingers started lightly brushing through the hair on his chest that he knew she was finally back with him, so he dipped his head to brush his lips over her hair.

"I'm not losing this, Emma. I can't. Please don't ask me to give you up now."

Killian could feel her swallow hard against his chest as she admitted, "I don't wanna lose you either. But I don't see what else we can do. You'll never get another offer like this. And even if you did, there's no guarantee that it would be in the same city as me."

"We'll find a way to make this work. It's a year, Emma. _Less_ than that. There has to be _something_ that we can do to preserve this. There _has_ to be."

"Promise me something?" she asked, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"Anything."

"Don't turn the job down. At least… not until we've had a chance to speak about it? Please? If you love me… if you _respect_ my opinions at all, you'll wait until we've had a chance to talk it through before you do anything."

Killian reached up to gently trace the back of his knuckles down Emma's cheek before he slid his hand into her hair. "I promise that I won't do anything rash until I've gotten every piece of information that _we_ need to make a decision about this together. But I need you to promise me something too, Sweetheart."

Emma nodded against his hand before turning her head to press her lips to his wrist.

"Don't pull away from me. I know that you're scared right now. I am too. But please, Emma… don't sabotage this relationship because you think you're doing the best thing for me. I didn't realize just how much I'd missed having someone to share my life with until you came into it. I _hated_ being without you when we had that misunderstanding, so there's no way I can go through that again. This job might be the job of my dreams, but my dreams have changed a lot recently. My idea of the future doesn't just revolve around a happy work-life now. It involves _you_ , Emma. I know that you don't want to hold me back and I don't want to do the same thing to you. But please, don't pull away from me because you think you're making things easier on me. You'll only end up making it harder if you do."

Emma nodded her head again and squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that were threatening to spill over. When the first one did, Killian gently brushed the droplet away and then leaned up to kiss the spot that it had touched.

"I promise," she whispered, turning her head to meet his lips with her own before she allowed him to pull her down against his chest.

* * *

Jones fell asleep before she did that evening. Emma spent most of her night staring into the darkness as silent tears streamed down her cheeks.

While her boyfriend might have believed that they could have it all, Emma knew enough about the way the world worked to understand that it simply wasn't possible. Especially for an orphan like her.

At some point, Jones would be forced to choose between his career and his relationship with her. And she wouldn't let him risk everything he'd spent his entire life working towards, just to take a chance on her. When the time came for them to make a decision, Emma promised herself that if Jones couldn't walk away, then she would. That she would be the stronger one of the two of them, if that was what he needed from her. Because while it would hurt like hell to turn her back on something so good, Emma knew that in the long run, Jones would only end up growing to resent her for holding him back.

And that would lead to the ultimate destruction of their relationship.

* * *

 **Thanks for being so patient with me while I battle these health issues. Hopefully once this next surgery is out of the way, I'll be a little more reliable.**


End file.
